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Roman Triumph
What was a Roman Ovation?
An ovation was inferior to
a triumph, and conferred to those who had achieved what was
seen as minor victories. Much to his annoyance Crassus was
only awarded an ovation during the Third Servile War against
Spartacus whereas
Pompey was awarded a Triumph for his part in ending the
uprising.
History of the Roman
Triumph
Romulus, more than a
thousand years before, had ascended the Capitoline Mount on
foot, bearing in his arms the spoil of Acron, and his
example had been followed by a long line of Roman heroes.
Roman Triumph - Great
Publicity!
A triumph was a great honor
which afforded the recipient some great publicity and
therefore popularity with the people of Rome. To gain
popularity with the people of Rome was to gain power and to
be the recipient of a Roman Triumph was therefore the goal
of many politically ambitious Roman commanders.
How to be granted the
Honor of a Roman Triumph?
Following a great decisive
victory in battle, or after a province had been subdued by a
series of successful operations, an army's troops in the
field of battle would proclaim their commander an
'imperator' with absolute power referred to as the 'imperium'.
This title gave the commander great status and the title of
'imperator' was necessary before a general could apply to
the Senate for a triumph. The general. or Imperator,
forwarded the Senate a laurel-wreathed dispatch containing
an account of his exploits. If the intelligence proved
satisfactory the Senate decreed a public thanksgiving - a
Triumph.
Roman Crowns and Wreaths
The Return to Rome -
Agreement of the Senate and the common people
After the war was
concluded, the general, with his army, returned to Rome, or
ordered his army to meet him there on a given day, but did
not enter the city. A meeting of the Senate was held outside
the walls providing an opportunity to report on the victory in person
affording the Senate to satisfy themselves that the Triumph
was in order. If the Senate gave
their consent, they at the same time voted a sum of money
toward bearing the cost the necessary expenses. Then the common
people had to give their agreement. One of the
Tribunes applied for a plebiscitum (a law enacted by the
common people, under the superintendence of a tribune,
without the intervention of the senate to permit the Imperator
to retain his imperium (power) on the day when he entered the city).
Roman Triumph - the
Procession
Once agreement had been
obtained the General was given permission to enter Rome in
triumph. The Roman Triumph was a solemn procession,
in which a victorious general entered the city in a
spectacular chariot
drawn by four horses. He was preceded by the senate,
trumpeters, the humiliated enemy captives who were often in
chains, the spoils and treasures taken in war, white bulls
for sacrifice and his personal bodyguards (lictors). The
triumphator came next in the procession, riding on his
chariot. He was followed by his family, officers, troops all
of whom were unarmed. The procession followed a fixed route
which ran from the Field of Mars down to the river Tiber,
doubling back on itself to avoid an ancient bog, then
through the Circus and along the Sacred Way (Via Sacra). After
passing in state along the Via Sacra the triumph ascended the Capitol
to offer sacrifice at the Temple of Jupiter - the white
bulls. The triumphator then entered the temple to offer his
wreath to the god as a sign that he had no intentions of
becoming the king of Rome.
Roman Triumph - the
Clothes
The triumphator wore the
tunica palmata which was a tunic embroidered with palm
leaves. The toga purpurea, of purple-dyed wool, was also
worn. The toga picta (crimson, embroidered in gold) might
also have been worn in triumphal processions. On his feet he
would wear a patrician shoe called the mulleus which was
colored red like the mullus (mullet) from which it was named
and had an ivory, silver or gold ornament of crescent shape
on the outside of the ankle. On his head he would wear a
laurel wreath or crown. Around his neck he would wear his
bulla, a special amulet, to protect him from the evil
jealously of men or gods.
Roman Triumph - Face of
the Triumphator was Painted Red
The face of the triumphator
was painted with red paint to imitate the red-painted face
of the statues of Mars, the god of war or Jupiter, the King
of the gods. The material used to paint the face red was
vermilion, an opaque orange-red pigment which was derived
from the extremely expensive powdered mineral cinnabar. This
tradition was well illustrated in the HBO TV series Rome
which featured the Triumph of Julius Caesar.
Roman Triumph - the
Festivities
The Roman Triumph
was an extremely important event for the people of Ancient
Rome. Everyone wanted to watch the procession. The streets
were cleaned in preparation and arrangements were made for
feasting and banquets after the Triumph. There was also
plenty of drinking by the Roman soldiers who played a part
in the triumph of their general. The festivities also
included music and singing and there was a sweet smell in
the air. Rose petals, a symbol of love and victory, and
other scented flowers, were lavishly strewn across the path
of the triumphator. At the end of the Triumph the
triumphator would enjoy a private banquet in his honor.
Roman Triumph
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