The Virginia state seal, dating back to 1776, features classical symbols and the motto “sic semper tyrannis.” The front shows Virtus defeating a fallen tyrant, while the reverse depicts Libertas, Ceres, and Aeternitas. The seal’s nudity has caused minor controversy.
The state seal of Virginia is one of the oldest state symbols in the United States, dating back to the birth of the republic in 1776. The seal contains a variety of symbols from classical mythology. The Virginia state seal is also the central image on the Virginia state flag.
In May 1776, during the Revolutionary War, Virginia declared independence, rejecting the authority of the British crown. In July of that year, the state government commissioned a four-man team to create a design for a state seal. The state Constitutional Convention approved the design, and it has remained in use to the present day. Variations in the depiction of the seal led to the creation of an official standardized version in 1930, as well as an official color version in 1949.
The state seal of Virginia displays images that draw on classical symbolism. Indeed the motto of the state, which is in Latin and appears at the base of the seal, expresses the central idea of the seal: sic semper tyrannis. The motto is attributed to Marco Giunio Bruto, after the assassination of Julius Caesar; stands for “thus always to tyrants”. The Roman republic was a major source of inspiration for political symbolism in 18th-century America, and the state seal reflects this. The front, or obverse, of the seal shows a female Virtus carrying a spear and sword, trampling a fallen tyrant whose crown lies on the ground nearby. A broken chain and fallen whip symbolize the end of an unjust government.
The reverse, or reverse, of the seal shows three female figures. These are Libertas, the personification of freedom; Ceres, the goddess of grain; and Aeternitas, or eternity. Above the three figures appears the motto Perseverando, Latin for “persevering”. Both sides of the great seal are surrounded by a Virginia creeper border. The minor state seal of Virginia is identical in design, but has only the obverse and is smaller.
The state seal of Virginia has attracted little controversy because the figure of Virtus depicted on the front has one breast exposed. This is in keeping with classical depictions of many female deities, but the nudity on the sigil occasionally offends modern sensibilities. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli caused a minor stir in 2010 when he handed his staff pins that included a version of the state seal. Cuccinelli’s lapel pins depicted Virtus wearing a cuirass that covered her bare breasts.
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