In heraldry, banners are symbols of identity, authority, allegiance, and public display, closely tied to the ceremonial and martial origins of coats of arms. Unlike the shield, which was worn or carried by an individual, the banner served as a larger and more visible expression of arms in battle, procession, and state occasion, making it a powerful sign of leadership and recognized status.

Heraldic banners could identify nobles, knights, military commanders, cities, and institutions, and their presence often signaled both rank and the right to gather followers under a known emblem. The banner of arms, which displays the armiger’s coat of arms across the full field of the flag, is one of the clearest expressions of this tradition and remains important in ceremonial heraldry today. Banners are especially significant in royal, noble, civic, and military contexts, where they represent continuity, honour, and visible allegiance to a lineage or cause. In heraldry, they are not merely decorative objects, but carriers of identity in motion, linking the static design of the shield to the lived world of ceremony, conflict, and public memory.