Roman triumph

Roman triumph (triumphus) dates back to royal times. It was due to the victorious ruler, and initially, it was associated with the ritual of cleansing the soldiers – so it was primarily a religious ceremony. Over time, however, it gradually lost its religious character, becoming a more and more spectacular show to the satisfaction of the commoners. Of course, the propaganda function was also important, both state-owned and private, i.e. ancestral. After all, every Roman leader dreamed of full triumph and gaining glory for himself and his family.

As time passed, the potential winner began to be subject to certain conditions that had to be met first to be able to claim the right to triumph.

Two types of triumphs were distinguished: triumphus curulis (the so-called great triumph), during which the winner was riding a quadriga-type chariot (currus triumphalis) and the conditions set for the emperor were presented above. The second type of triumph is ovatio (ovation) when the chief rode a horse or walked. However, their varieties were also distinguished.

The proper triumph – “great” (triumphus curulis) took place in Rome with the consent of the Senate and at the expense of the state. Failing to obtain such permission, the chief, at his own expense, celebrated triumph on the Albanian Mountain (triumphus in Monte Albano). This kind of celebration dates back to 231 BCE. Its course and significance did not differ in any way from the city triumph, but it was certainly less grand and honourable. Along with the victories of the Roman fleet at sea, there was also triumphus navalis, which was connected with the setting in the city of columna rostrata (a column decorated with beaks protruding from the shaft) defeated ships). The last variation of the triumph was the aforementioned ovatio (ovation “little triumph”, minor triumphus), the beginning of which we date to the period of the Republic.

A proper triumph

The triumph had two essential features: on the one hand, it was a tribute to the gods, and on the other, it was an honour to the leader. The sacred element of this institution was supplicationes. They were arranged mainly on the occasion of victory and in honour of the victor, although they belonged to the gods. Over time, the religious aspect turned into a secular one. During the empire, supplicationes honoured a victorious leader. With the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire, the religious aspect gave way to the political aspect.

Another sacred element was the conviction that triumph was a duty to the gods, linked by votum (a promise to the deity) with the auspices of a leader. Equipped with auspices, the commander also received the approval of the gods for the war campaign. Asking for this consent, before going to the battlefield, he made sacrifices in the temple, through which he made requests to the gods, at the same time committing himself to fulfil them. Hence, the spoils of war offered to the gods during the triumph were the fulfilment of the conditions set for victory between the chief and the god. Triumph was a sacred duty, and any refusal to triumph was tantamount to offending God and the winner. It is not known how the above duty to a god was fulfilled in the event of a refusal of this honour. One solution could then be the aforementioned triumph on the Albanian Mountain, held without the consent of the Senate at the request and expense of the commander himself.

There was also a magical sacred aspect in the triumphal ceremony. It was included in the act of passing a triumphal march through the triumphal gate, which had a purifying meaning. The army then freed itself from all the evil that war brings with it. The laurel worn during the festival by the triumphant or by soldiers had the same meaning. Apart from the cathartic aspect, we also observe the existence of an apotropaic aspect. Defence against demons and evil spirits was provided by amulets placed on the triumphal carriage and the body of the triumphant. The purple robes, and the staining of the face would pass, must also have an apotropaic meaning. The slave’s word behind the triumphant was to ward off evil spirits.

Segement XX Fasti triumphales, which were published around 12 BCE. They contain a list of triumphs from the foundation of Rome up to the time of Augustus. This fragment shows the triumphs during the Punic War.

Author: Rossignol Benoît | Under Creative Commons license Attribution - On the same terms 3.0.

In summary, the triumph was reserved only for those leaders who owned the empire and waged a suis auspiciis war (according to the auspices). In addition, only Roman citizens by birth could have this honour. From the times of Octavian Augustus (27 BCE – 14 CE), only the emperor and his family members were entitled to triumph, while other chiefs received ornamenta triumphalia. Auspices covered only the duration of the war and ended with the crossing of the city border (pomerium). If the winner entered Rome before the triumph, he immediately lost the right to it because of the auspices thus lost. For this reason, reports on the course of the war were submitted by the commander to the Senate outside the city walls. The Senate also passed a resolution on the triumph outside the city walls. When granting consent to celebrate the holiday, the Senate took into account the conditions that had to be met. Triumph, therefore, was only due to a successful war, not a single battle. It was impossible to achieve triumph for victory over pirates or slaves. Moreover, the declaration of war should have been carried out by the law, and the leader who was to conduct it had to have the consent and authorization of the Senate and