A diadem is a type of crown or headpiece symbolizing royalty or authority, usually worn by a king or queen. It can be an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty, or a jeweled ornament in the shape of a half crown, worn by women and placed over the forehead. The word "diadem" is often used interchangeably with "crown" in the Bible and in modern translations. It can also refer to something that adorns like a crown
. In the New Testament, a distinction is drawn between the diadem as a badge of royalty and the crown as a mark of distinction in private life
. The term originally referred to an embroidered white silk ribbon, ending in a knot and two fringed strips often draped over the shoulders, that surrounded the head of the king to denote his authority
