Ironsword is a Heavy Metal band from Lisbon, Portugal. The band was formed … Read Full Bio ↴Ironsword is a Heavy Metal band from Lisbon, Portugal. The band was formed in early 1995 by J.M. (João Fonseca), who then played all instruments, except for the drums. A drum machine had to be used since at first he couldn't find decent musicians for his band. He used 4 tracker to record a 15 minute promo-tape which featured 3 songs, and this was the first release by the band.

Since then the band has released three studio albums, Ironsword in 2002, Return of the Warrior in 2004 and Overlords of Chaos in 2008.

J.M. no longer plays all instruments. Instead he's the singer and guitarist, Arrno Maalm (Beto Arrais) is the drummer, and Rick Thor is the bass player.

Under the Flag of Rome
Ironsword Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Under the flag of Rome
Sudden was our fall
But I'll have my place
On the great wargods hall
Down on my knees
The spoil of war all around
Grant me a last chance to avenge
Let me die with my crown

If you live by the sword
You will die by the sword

Under the flag of Rome
Symbol of might and wealth
Thousands of legions came
Only to sow death
My fate was built
On blood and pride
My wounds are many
I've tasted life

If you live by the sword
You will die by the sword

Under the flag of Rome
Men of untamable ambition
Betrayed by false words
We're left for humiliation
Our priceless freedom
Was a cost too high to pay
I bear not to be a slave
Our dream cannot blur away

"Veni, vidi, vici..."

Overall Meaning

The song "Under the Flag of Rome" by Ironsword tells the story of a fallen soldier who fought under the flag of the mighty Roman Empire. The opening line "Under the flag of Rome, sudden was our fall" suggests that their defeat came swiftly and unexpectedly. Nonetheless, the soldier still wishes to be honored in the great hall of the war gods. The following lines paint a picture of the battlefield with the defeated soldier surrounded by the spoils of war. He pleads for a last chance to avenge his enemies and die with his crown.

The chorus of the song, "If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword" is a warning of the consequences of a life of violence and war. The second verse further describes the brutal reality of Roman conquests. The flag of Rome is described as a symbol of might and wealth, and thousands of legions were sent out to sow death. The soldier's fate was built on blood and pride, and although he has tasted the sweetness of life, his wounds are many.

The final verse speaks of the betrayal of the Roman Empire's soldiers by false promises. The men had untamable ambition, but their priceless freedom was too high a cost to pay, resulting in humiliation. The soldier refuses to be a slave and clings to the dream of freedom, declaring that it cannot be blurred away. The song ends with the famous phrase attributed to Julius Caesar, "Veni, vidi, vici," which means "I came, I saw, I conquered."

Line by Line Meaning

Under the flag of Rome
The Roman Empire, a symbol of power and wealth, under whose banner the singer went to battle

Sudden was our fall
The sudden defeat of the Roman army at the hands of the enemy

But I'll have my place
Despite the defeat, the singer hopes to be remembered for his bravery in battle

On the great wargods hall
He aspires to be counted among the great warriors in the afterlife

Down on my knees
The artist is defeated and humbled

The spoil of war all around
The paraphernalia of war lay scattered around, signifying the futility of war

Grant me a last chance to avenge
He is asking for one final opportunity to avenge the defeat

Let me die with my crown
The artist wishes to die with his head held high and not as a prisoner of war

If you live by the sword
The universal truth that those who engage in violence will eventually face its consequences

You will die by the sword
Death is inevitable for one who lives by warfare

Symbol of might and wealth
The Roman Empire being a powerful and wealthy civilization

Thousands of legions came
The vast number of Roman soldiers who fought under the banner of the Empire

Only to sow death
The futility of war and the destruction it brings

My fate was built
The singer's destiny was to be a warrior and face death on the battlefield

On blood and pride
The two key motivators for the singer's warlike actions are loyalty to Rome and a thirst for glory

My wounds are many
The cost of war - physical injury and emotional trauma

I've tasted life
The artist has experienced the highs and lows of being a warrior, including the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat

Men of untamable ambition
The powerful and ambitious men who led Rome into battle

Betrayed by false words
The deception that led to Rome's defeat

We're left for humiliation
The aftermath of the defeat was one of shame and disgrace for the Roman soldiers

Our priceless freedom
The Roman soldiers fought for freedom, but that freedom came at too high a cost

Was a cost too high to pay
The cost of war was too great and ultimately led to their downfall

I bear not to be a slave
The ultimate desire of the singer is to be free and not to be under the yoke of slavery

Our dream cannot blur away
Despite the defeat, the hope of freedom cannot be erased or forgotten

"Veni, vidi, vici..."
The famous words of Julius Caesar when he conquered a region. The singer may be invoking them to inspire himself to continue fighting.

Contributed by Vivian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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