The Civic Crown (Latin: corona civica) was a chaplet of common oak leaves woven to form a crown. During the Roman Republic, and the subsequent Principate, it was regarded as the second highest military decoration a soldier could aspire to. It was reserved for men who saved the lives of fellow soldiers, and held the ground upon which he did this for the remainder of the engagement. Under Sulla's reactionary constitution, any recipient of the Civic Crown was entitled entry into the Senate. Furthermore, the recipient was required by law to wear his crown at every public gathering, and was applauded even by men much senior to himself. It later became a perogative for Roman Emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown. Famous recipients include Caesar the Dictator and Caesar Augustus.
