Fasces

An ancient Roman symbol,the fasces was a group of birch rods bundled together with an axe. It symbolizes strength in unity; the rods are weak by themselves but strong when bundled together. Although the symbol was adopted by the Fascists, it does not in itself signify fascism. In the United States House of Representatives, a fasces symbol appears on each side of the American flag, and old U. S. dimes, with a picture of the god Mercury on the front, have a design including a fasces on the back.