As long as armies existed there was a need for soldiers to know where their comrades were. A solution to this problem was the carrying of colourful banners or other insignia. Such flags or banners either showed a personal symbol of the leader of said units or a symbol for the "state" they represented.
as long as armies existed there was a need for soldiers to know where their comrades were a solution to this problem was the carrying of colourful banners or other insignia such flags or banners either showed a personal symbol of the leader of said units or a symbol for the "state" they represented