The University of Chester has purchased a ceremonial mace, and a piece in the Evening Leader includes the following:

The use of ceremonial maces dates back to when they were carried at the head of legionnaires marching across the Roman Empire.

University of Chester vice-chancellor, Prof Tim Wheeler, said: “Maces have been used through the ages to mark the opening and closing of official business and to this day are an essential part of the pageantry of a university.

“It is particularly appropriate that a university associated with a Roman city is represented by a legacy of that ancient civilisation for ceremonial purposes and we are delighted MBNA has chosen to support this tradition so generously.


... are they saying that maces derive from Roman military standards? A webpage on the mace in the U.S. House of Representatives sez:

The design of the Mace is derived from an ancient battle weapon and the Roman fasces.


None of the official pages of the Canadian Parliament that I looked at give any details about the history of the mace (e.g., this one).