The Woollen Cap That Became a Revolutionary Symbol: The Bonnet Phrygien

When the sans-culottes stormed the streets of Paris, many wore a simple red woollen cap — the bonnet phrygien. But this wasn't just any hat. Its origins stretch back to ancient Phrygia, where it appeared on the heads of freed slaves in Roman iconography. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace how a cap worn by Roman manumitted slaves became the ultimate emblem of French liberty, adorning Marianne and even the head of Notre-Dame's gargoyles. They explore its adoption during the Revolution, its role in the storming of the Tuileries, its suppression under Napoleon, and its revival in the 19th century. Along the way, they uncover the cap's appearance in Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, its use in the July Revolution of 1830, and its surprising connection to the French Senate's current logo. This is the story of a hat that survived empires, restorations, and centuries of political turmoil to remain France's most potent symbol of freedom. #BonnetPhrygien #FrenchRevolution #SansCulottes #Marianne #LibertyCap #PhrygianCap #EugeneDelacroix #LibertyLeadingThePeople #Symbolism #RevolutionaryFrance #JulyRevolution #Napoleon #NotreDame #RomanFreedmen #History #FexingoHistory #France #PoliticalSymbols Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo