In Roman times a slave who was freed by his owner wore the pileus, a brimless felt cap. A hat on a stick has therefor the meaning of freedom, although the cap shown here is the Phrygian cap, which was confused with the pileus.

San Marino is an independent republic. It is an enclave in Italy. San Marino was founded in 301AD by Saint Marinus. San Marino claims to be the oldest republic in the world. It served as a refuge for many people who supported the unification of Italy in the 19th century and as a result Garribaldi accepted the wish of San Marino to remain independent. It is not a member of the EU, but it does use the euro.