Everyone’s talking about... Britannia

THE Bank of England has redesigned its logo, updating the national symbol Britannia to make her ‘more inclusive’ – while removing the St George’s Cross from her shield in favour of a Union Flag. So where did Britannia come from?

It’s one of the things the Romans did for us. After their invasion, they called the parts of these islands they ruled Britannia, and created a goddess to personify their new provinces. They didn’t look too far for inspiration, as she was very similar to Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, also usually depicted seated with a spear and shield. But Britannia was typically shown with her right breast exposed. She first appeared on coins in 135 AD, under the rule of Hadrian.

Has she been on our money ever since?

No, she was dropped when the Romans left, only to be reintroduced by King Charles II on coins in 1672, and on notes in 1699. She has appeared on every Bank of England note since.

But she disappeared from coins, except special issues, in 2008 – a move approved by Chancellor

Gordon Brown. Not that everyone knew who she was: a survey found some people thought the image was of Queen Victoria,

Joan of Arc – or even Margaret Thatcher. Nevertheless, bank redesigns are often controversial. A 1957, Britannia was thought ‘too severe’ and a 1963 version ‘not very regal’. Last year, the Royal Mint issued commemorative coins featuring a black Britannia.

What about her role representing Britain?

Her use as a symbol of national pride grew after England and Scotland united in 1707 (the song Rule, Britannia! dates from 1740, in the same spirit of nationalism). Her spear was soon swapped for the trident of Neptune, the sea god, to represent our naval dominance. Her symbolism continued to grow up to the Victorian era, although the prudish Victorians covered her breast. Now her depictions include the Brit Awards given to pop stars – and the logo of the Britannia hotel chain, repeatedly voted Britain’s worst.

Any relations?

A daughter, Zealandia, who represents New Zealand. However, she’s rarely mentioned, as the nation prefers to identify with a flightless bird.