The word on the scroll in San Marino’s flag coat of arms is “Libertas.”
Libertas is Latin for “liberty” or “freedom,” and it appears on the scroll beneath San Marino’s shield. The coat of arms also shows three towers on three peaks, a crown above the shield, and oak and laurel branches at the sides.
The motto reflects San Marino’s political identity and its traditional claim to independence. According to tradition, the republic was founded by Marinus, a Christian stonemason, in the early 4th century. San Marino presents itself as one of the world’s oldest surviving republics, and liberty is central to its national symbolism.
The flag itself consists of equal horizontal bands of white and light blue, with the coat of arms placed in the center on the official state flag. White and light blue are commonly associated with peace and liberty. “Libertas” is sometimes confused with other Latin civic words, but the inscription is specific and is not “Pax,” “Fidelitas,” or “Unitas.”