ROM072-KC
King & Country
The Roman Legions employed a number of trumpeters called ‘tubae’ and played by selected soldier/ musicians to signal particular troop movements in battle such as ‘advance, attack and retreat’ as well as at different times when guards in camp should mount, sleep or change posts.
36-38 ‘Tubicenes’ (soldier/players) would be assigned to each Legion.
These early military musicians would also take part in the ‘Triumphs’ with some or indeed all of the Legion’s complement marching in the parade on those days.
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.