The heraldic emblems or symbols are as old as mankind, it is known that many of the first towns and cities of the world's oldest heraldic symbol had already, for this reason it is believed that the heraldic signs come from ancient times, as an example are the hallmarks of the twelve tribes of Israel for over four thousand years, where the 12 tribes had its own heraldic distinction.

The origin of the arms as it is known to be found in the early Crusades, when the armories were born during the repeated deeds and exploits of the Crusaders, who received arms as a reward for them, and so the science is perfected heraldry.

The ancient Egyptians had their own heraldic signs for example to designate the State did so by drawing of a crocodile, the religion had the sign of an ox.

The palm was the emblem of the Phoenicians. Widespread in the dove field of gold, the symbol of the Assyrians. The Athenians had the Sphinx of Minerva, with an owl and an olive. The Carthaginians were the symbol of a horse head. The Dacian had the dragon as a symbol. The Romans had the she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. The Goths, had to bear. The Gauls, to the lark. The Chinese, as one of the oldest towns in the world, led shield, the golden dragon and a red field sinople.

In the cities we have several examples, Rhodes had a dolphin as a symbol, Antioch, a midwife towered, standing with a horse at his side. Argos, the Greek city of the Peloponnese, a bull. Tire, a ship. Corinth, a horse with wings, the "Pegasus". Syracuse, a cart pulled by four horses and a driver with a crowning victory. Sicily, was to sign two axes.

Each city had its own sign that identified.

The sign of the city was connected with the name of the people, thus demonstrating that the municipal heraldry existed since ancient times