{"data":{"id":"us-va/va.-code-1-500","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"Va. Code § 1-500","heading":"The great seal","body":"The great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and one-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch wide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus, the genius of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her right hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a sheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face upturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body of a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border conforming therewith, shall be the word \"Virginia,\" and, in the space below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, \"Sic Semper Tyrannis.\" On the reverse, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas, holding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a globe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device, in a curved line, the word \"Perseverando.\"Code 1950, § 7-26; 1966, c. 102, § 7.1-26; 2005, c. 839.","path":["Title 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS","Chapter 5. EMBLEMS","Article 1. SYMBOLS OF SOVEREIGNTY"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/1-500/","current_through":"9/4/2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:12:09Z","sha256":"15f97d01f505faec75f05f057f147e6bc32a16ea6ee686b30976e683fd8f8802","source_id":"us-va","stale":true,"prev":"us-va/va.-code-1-408","next":"us-va/va.-code-1-501"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}