Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost
Encyclopedia
Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost is a commune
in the Ain
department in eastern France
.
The red band represents the great Roman road
, which is believed to cross the town at the old church. The head at the bottom of the band is that of Saint Maurice
, surrounded by a gold halo. Maurice, head of the Roman Theban Legion
, refused to enforce the edicts of Maximian
, which had instructed him to massacre Christians. Because of his refusal, Maurice was martyred, along with the entire legion in 287AD (although some experts do not believe this to be true; see Theban Legion article). The sword is that worn by officers of the legion and the golden eagle is the Roman legion's emblem.
The trefoiled cross the top of the shield is the "cross of St. Maurice", which was worn around the necks of knights of the Order of St. Maurice in the Middle Ages. It is placed at the top of the shield because the county of Savoy, located north of the city, has the trefoil cross in its arms. Rivoire chose a pike (fish) at the bottom to represent the River Rhone, which crosses Saint-Maurice to the south. The fish is also the heraldic emblem of both Christians and Muslims.
The colours have a symbolic significance. In the Middle Ages, the green was synonymous with freedom, and also represents the plateau to the north of the town. The red colour of the band symbolizes the blood shed by the martyrs.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Ain
Ain
Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...
department in eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Population
The inhabitants of Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost called Mauriciens.Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Saint-Maurice Beynost was created in 1985 by Joseph Rivoire. The history and geography of St. Maurice are reflected in the design, which is separated into three parts: a trefoil cross on a green background above a red stripe in the middle, with a pike (fish) in the lower part.The red band represents the great Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
, which is believed to cross the town at the old church. The head at the bottom of the band is that of Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century, and one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that group. He was the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms...
, surrounded by a gold halo. Maurice, head of the Roman Theban Legion
Theban Legion
The Theban Legion figures in Christian hagiography as an entire Roman legion — of "six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — who had converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together, in 286, according to the hagiographies of Saint Maurice, the chief among the Legion's...
, refused to enforce the edicts of Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
, which had instructed him to massacre Christians. Because of his refusal, Maurice was martyred, along with the entire legion in 287AD (although some experts do not believe this to be true; see Theban Legion article). The sword is that worn by officers of the legion and the golden eagle is the Roman legion's emblem.
The trefoiled cross the top of the shield is the "cross of St. Maurice", which was worn around the necks of knights of the Order of St. Maurice in the Middle Ages. It is placed at the top of the shield because the county of Savoy, located north of the city, has the trefoil cross in its arms. Rivoire chose a pike (fish) at the bottom to represent the River Rhone, which crosses Saint-Maurice to the south. The fish is also the heraldic emblem of both Christians and Muslims.
The colours have a symbolic significance. In the Middle Ages, the green was synonymous with freedom, and also represents the plateau to the north of the town. The red colour of the band symbolizes the blood shed by the martyrs.