|Table of contents| 2 Strategy Game Imperium was a Roman concept
of legal authority. A man owning imperium had absolute authority
within the scope of his magistracy or promagistracy (see below),
but could be vetoed or overruled by a magistrate or
promagistrate owning a higher degree of imperium. Imperium was
indicated in two prominent ways. An "imperial" magistrate or
promagistrate carried an ivory baton surmounted by an eagle as
his personal symbol of office (cf. field marshal's baton). Any
such magistrate was also escorted by lictors bearing the fasces
(traditional symbols of imperium and authority); when outside
the pomerium, axes were added to the fasces to indicate an
"imperial" magistrate's power to enact capital punishment
outside of Rome (the axes were removed within the pomerium). The
number of lictors in attendance upon a magistrate was an overt
indication of the degree of imperium: Certain extraordinary
commissions, such as Pompey the Great's famous command against
pirates, were invested with imper