Corona

( κορώνη ), R. A crown or garland made with natural or artificial leaves and flowers (of horn, parchment, ., or metal). There were many different kinds of cor onæ, of which the principal were the following: corona civic a; corona cla ic a, naval is, or rostrata; corona cast rens is or vallar is; corona longa; corona mural is; corona obsidional is; corona natal it i a; corona oleagina; corona oval is; corona pactilis, plectilis, or plexilis; corona triumphal is; corona sutilis, . The most honourable was the c. obsidional is, presented by a beleaguered army, after its liberation, to the general who raised the siege. It was made of gra , or wild flowers plucked on the site. The c. civic a was presented to a Roman soldier who had saved the life of a citizen in battle. It was made of oak leaves. The c. naval is was made of gold. The c. mural is, presented to the first man over the wall of a besieged city, was also made of gold, and it was ornamented with turrets. The c. cast rens is, presented to the first soldier who forced an entrance into an enemy’s camp, was of gold ornamented with palisades. Of the c. triumphal is there were three kinds: one of laurel or bay leaves, worn by the commanding officer during his triumph; one of ma ive gold held over his head; and a third of still greater value, also of gold. The c. oval is, to commemorate an ovation to an officer, was made of myrtle leaves. The c. oleagina, of olive leaves, was given to common soldiers. Besides these, there were the various sacerdotal cor onæ, emblematical of their functions: the funereal chaplets of leaves and flowers for the dead, called c. funebres or sepulchrales; the wreaths of roses, violets, myrtles, ivy, ., worn at convivial meetings, c. convivial is; and the bridal wreath, of Greek origin, made of flowers not bought, but plucked by the bride herself, the verbena being the chosen flower among the Romans, c. nuptial is; and finally the c. natal it i a suspended over the door of a house where a child was born. At Athens this was of olive for a boy, and of wool for a girl. At Rome the wreath was made of laurel, ivy, or parsley. The various crowns used in heraldry are described under their respective headings. (See Crown.)