White was chosen for its high visibility and neutrality. In ancient times, it was easier to find plain white cloth (often made of wool or linen) than dyed fabrics. It serves as a "blank canvas" that does not align with any specific faction’s colors, making it a universal tool for communication. Legal and Global Recognition
While the exact beginning is lost to time, historians have documented several early uses: White Flag
The white flag is one of history’s most recognizable symbols, transcending languages and cultures to signal surrender, a truce, or a peaceful parley. Far from just a sign of "giving up," its history is a complex weave of ancient traditions and modern international laws. The Origins of the White Flag White was chosen for its high visibility and neutrality
: Historian Livy recorded a Carthaginian ship using "white wool and branches of olive" to signal defeat during the Second Punic War (218 B.C.). In 69 A.D., Tacitus noted white flags were used by Vitellian forces surrendering at the Second Battle of Cremona. Legal and Global Recognition While the exact beginning