The Gallic rooster (French: le coq gaulois, Gallic cock) is an official national symbol of France as a nation. It is often used as a national mascot, particularly in sporting events such as soccer and rugby. The Latin word “gallus” means both "rooster" and "inhabitant of Gaul". Certain ancient coins bore a rooster, but the animal was not used as the emblem of the tribes of Gaul. Gradually the figure of the rooster became the most widely shared representation of the French people. In the Middle Ages, the Gallic Rooster was widely used as a religious symbol – a sign of hope and faith. During the Renaissance the rooster began to be associated with the emerging French nation before the French Revolution finally established the rooster as the representation of the Nation’s identity.
