ROM065-KC
King & Country
Even the most successful of Rome’s heroes required a number of senior subordinates to fulfill their orders and oversee the troops on parade. This senior officer turns in the saddle to watch over the progress of the Triumph.
The Roman Triumph’ (in latin ‘Triumphus’), was a civil ceremony and religious rite of Ancient Rome held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the success of a military commander who had led Rome’s forces to victory in the service of the State or, in some historical traditions, one who had successfully completed a foreign war.
On the day of the ‘Triumph’ the victor would lead a magnificent parade through The streets of the ancient city accompanied by his army, defeated captives and the ‘spoils of war’ taken from the vanquished.
Thousands of victorious soldiers would take part followed by hundreds of their sullen and dejected prisoners all of them cheered by and jeered at along the route by hundreds of thousands of Rome’s jupilant citizens.
After the day-long parade and the sacrifices made at the Temple of Jupiter (and for several days afterwards) spectacular games and entertainments would be held to placate and please the Roman masses.