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[–]magnora7 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

It's original purpose was for state executions. That's why it's a symbol of power at all.

[–]Chipit[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

The fasces were a symbol of authority, but the precise meaning is unknown. It is often claimed that the rods could be used to lash people, and the ax to execute them.

Come on, can you imagine trying to decapitate someone with an axe stuffed into a bunch of reeds? The fasces were symbolic.

Yes the axe was used for executions. But a real axe.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It wasn't just reed, a number of wooden or metal rods tied together to hold the axe in place also represents the fasces. Maybe the modern model of the axe started out as the fasces, due to the flexibility of loading/unloading it. And depending on how thoroughly the fasces was tied together, it very well could have been used to decapitate based on an executioner's strength and precision to strike. The gallows were primitive at first before they became the modern iteration we are familiar with from Europe.

I would conjecture that the possibilities side in favor of the fasces being used as a weapon originally. And then it became symbolic of the "old days" to pay homage.