Niccolo Machiavelli, Writings - Liberty Library

The Seal of Florence

In early 16th century Florence, when Machiavelli was working as a diplomat for the city state, the seal of the Magistrates of the Ten of Liberty and Peace was an image of a dove holding an olive branch in its beak with the following Latin motto "S. Pax et Defensio Libertatis" (Peace and the Defence of Liberty). 

It can be found in volume 3 of Historical, Political, and Diplomatic Writings. 

http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/machiavelli-the-historical-political-and-diplomatic-writings-vol-3

Niccolo Machiavelli, The Historical, Political, and Diplomatic Writings, vol. 3 (Diplomatic Missions 1498-1505) [1498]

• Author: Niccolo Machiavelli
• Translator: Christian Detmold

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