Queen Elizabeth I of England knew the importance of a good public image. Like other persons of power, she used clothing and objects to communicate her special status. Spectacular clothing, jewels, and a scepter were just some of the regalia that confirmed her power as queen. In this video, we look at an ancient symbol of authority: the scepter. These ceremonial rods have been used for thousands of years to communicate power, both earthly and divine.

Main Object: Francis Delaram, Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1618, engraving, published in Baziliwlogia: A Booke of Kings (London, 1618). Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

CHAPTERS

0:10 Communicating a ruler’s special status through regalia

0:20 Engraving Queen Elizabeth I of England

0:30 Elizabeth’s regalia: Orb and Scepter

0:45 What is a scepter?

0:57 Scepters in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman worlds

1:25 Elizabeth’s special need to establish authority

1:43 Elizabeth’s scepter and her right to rule