There is no single, specific ancient motif that explicitly combines the modern, abstract concepts of ‘Peace’, ‘Freedom of Speech’, and ‘Equal Rights’ into one symbol.

These concepts, as understood in contemporary terms (e.g., individual human rights against the state), did not exist in a fully developed or universally accepted form in most ancient societies. 

However, ancient art features distinct symbols that represent these ideas individually or in related forms.

So, intellectually, thinkers in Antiquity did not make this connection.

In other words, they did not work out that ‘Peace’ is intrinsically linked to the presence of both: (i) ‘Freedom of Speech’; and (ii) ‘Equal Rights’.

Thus, axiomatically, this gap in reasoning, existed in the foundational doctrines of every major religion.

AI – ‘In ancient art, concepts like peace, freedom of speech, and equal rights were symbolized through specific motifs, personifications, and allegories rooted in mythology and political philosophy. 

Peace

The primary ancient symbols for peace were natural elements that represented abundance, the cessation of hostilities, and divine favor: 

• The Olive Branch: Dating back at least to the 5th century BC in Greece, the olive branch was a potent symbol of peace and plenty. It was an attribute of Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace (known as Pax to the Romans), who was often depicted on Roman Imperial coins holding a branch. The olive tree took years to bear fruit, implying that those who planted groves expected a long period of peace.
• The Dove: In ancient Greek mythology, the dove was a symbol of love and the renewal of life. Early Christians adopted the dove with an olive branch in its beak to symbolize the peace of the soul and the end of divine wrath after the story of Noah’s Ark, as seen in Roman catacomb art.
• The Rainbow: Across various ancient cultures, the rainbow often represented a connection between humans and their gods and served as a universal sign of peace after a storm or flood.
• Predator and Prey in Truce: The Lydian King Croesus minted a coin around 700 BC depicting a lion and a bull facing each other in truce, symbolizing peace between the Lydians and the Greeks of Asia Minor. 

Freedom of Speech and Equal Rights

Explicit symbols for modern concepts of “freedom of speech” or “equal rights” as universal human entitlements were less common in ancient art, as these concepts were often tied to specific civic or social contexts within a given culture, rather than universal abstract rights. However, related ideas of liberty and justice were personified: 

• The Pileus (Phrygian Cap):  This soft, conical cap was an ancient symbol of liberty in the Roman world. Freed slaves and prisoners of war would obtain one upon receiving their freedom. It became a powerful symbol of libertas and was depicted on coins and in allegorical paintings. The later red Phrygian cap of the French Revolution was inspired by the ancient pileus.
• Libertas: The Roman goddess of liberty was personified in art and on coinage, serving as an early representation of the concept of civic freedom.
• The Scales of Justice: While primarily a symbol of law and justice, the image of a balance scale is an ancient motif. Lady Justice (or Themis in Greek mythology) is often depicted holding scales, which represent the weighing of evidence and an impartial application of the law, a foundational aspect of equality and rights.
• Personifications in Democratic Athens: In Classical Athens, the concepts of isēgoriā (equality of public speech) and parrhēsiā (the license to speak freely, even critically) were central to the democratic ideal. While not a single visual symbol in ancient art in the modern sense, the dramatic arts (such as the ribald comic theatre) served as a venue for exercising and symbolizing this right.’

Peace is intrinsically linked to the presence of freedom of speech and equal rights.

This connection is a foundational principle of classical liberalism and the core idea behind the modern democratic peace theory. 

Key figures and concepts supporting this argument include:

(i) Immanuel Kant – In his 1795 essay Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch, Kant argued that stable peace could only come about when all nations were constitutional republics that respected the rights of their citizens. He posited that in such systems, citizens, who would bear the costs of war, would be less likely to consent to it.

(ii) John Stuart Mill – A strong defender of ‘absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment,’ Mill argued in On Liberty that free speech and open debate are foundational to human well-being and progress. He believed that suppressing opinions harms society by preventing the exchange of error for truth and that a healthy state requires the clash of adverse opinions.

(iii) The prominent modern political science ‘Democratic Peace Theory’ suggests that democracies, characterized by institutions like free speech, equal rights, and the rule of law, are significantly less likely to engage in war with one another.

The internal mechanisms of accountability and public debate in free societies are seen as fostering peaceful foreign relations.

(iv) The authors of the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ intended the protection of freedom and equality as a lasting basis for international peace, establishing a moral and political criterion by which state orders should be judged in terms of their potential to promote or threaten world peace.

(v) Alexis de Tocqueville and Karl Popper both noted the importance of ‘liberty’ for a ‘peaceful society’.

Popper argued that the attempt to enforce equality at the expense of freedom endangers freedom itself, leading to societies where neither freedom nor equality among the unfree is present.

De Tocqueville noted that freedom is a more fundamental value for a peaceful society than equality (in the sense of equal outcomes).

(vi) Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Voltaire were staunch advocates for civil liberties, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equality before the law, challenging authoritarian regimes that suppressed these rights and often engaged in conflict. 

These thinkers and theories collectively assert that a society that respects individual rights, encourages open discourse, and treats its citizens as equals is inherently more stable, just, and peaceful, both internally and in its relations with other nations.

Since ‘Peace’ cannot exist without: (i) ‘Free Speech’; and (ii) ‘Equal Rights’, then logically these are ‘Foundational Rights’ in ‘Peacebuilding’.