Roman Triumph

• A Roman Triumph was a Civil and Religious Ceremony held to celebrate and sanctify a military victory or completion of a foreign war by a Roman Commander.
• The Triumph was part of Roman Culture and projected Roman Power, Wealth and Splendour. The Medieval Kings imitated this Ceremony.

Under the Republic

Conditions for the grant of a Roman Triumph

• Only the Roman Senate could grant a Triumph.
• The General had to be one of the Roman Magistrates with power of Imperium
• The General had to have killed over 5,000 enemy soldiers.
• His soldiers had to have proclaimed him ‘Imperator’ to qualify for a Roman Triumph.

The Order of the Roman Triumphal Procession

1. 1. The Roman Senate headed by the Roman Magistrates without their Lictors.
   2. Trumpeters.
   3. Wagons with the Spoils of War.
   4. White Bulls for the sacrifice.
   5. The Flags, Standards and Emblems of the defeated Enemy.
   6. The Enemy Commanders and Leaders, their families and the defeated population of men, women and children.
   7. The Lictors of the Imperator, holding the Fasces covered in Laurel leaves.
   8. The Imperator in a Chariot drawn by two or four horses, wearing the Toga Picta that presented him as semi-divine, and also a Laurel Wreath was held above his head.
   9. The Imperators adult sons and Officers.
   10. His Army wearing togas and Wreaths, but with no weapons as these were not permitted inside the Pomerium.

The Route of the Roman Triumph

• The crowds would line the streets and cheer and throw flowers on the Procession.
  1. The Procession started at the Porta Triumphalis.
  2. As he entered the Pomerium he was met by, and formally surrendered his command to, the Roman Senate and Roman Magistrates.
  3. He then proceeded up the Via Triumphalis to the Circus Flaminius and then to the Circus Maximus.
  4. Then along the Via Sacra to the Forum Romanum.
  5. Here the captured Enemy Commander would be put into the Mamertine Prison or Tullianum for execution.
  6. Then the Imperator would enter the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. Here he offered the sacrifice of white bulls to Jupiter and tokens of his Victory to the God, such as his Laurel Wreath.

Duties and Titles

• The Commander was then given the Title ‘Vir Triumphalis’ meaning ‘Man of Triumph’ or ‘Triumphator’, which he was allowed to use during his lifetime.
• After he died, at his funeral, he was entitled to an Actor to perform wearing his ‘Imago’ (Death Mask) and a purple Toga Picta. His descendants were also entitled to this at their funerals.
• The Commander was obliged to behave in an exemplary moral fashion after his Triumph.
• At the end of the Republic, the Triumph was used by ambitious Commanders such as Julius Caesar, to further their political careers.

Under the Empire

• The Emperor was awarded the Title ‘Imperator‘ for life when he acceded to Power. It was occasionally awarded to members of the Imperial family.
• The Celebration was a huge publicity Event, and so became restricted to the Emperor or his family members.
• Triumphs would often be extended for several days, and include Festivals and Games.
• The successful General would accompany the Emperor, but only be allowed a token force of soldiers.