Nobody knew how to celebrate a victory quite like ancient Rome knew how to celebrate a victory.
When a military commander returned from a victorious campaign, the entire city of Rome was treated to a spectacle.
Let's relive ancient Rome's most glorious victory celebration. /🧵
Ancient Rome observed military victories with ceremonies designed to honor the victorious military leader, inspire loyalty among Roman citizens, and celebrate the might of Rome.
Of all the ceremonies, one stood out as the most magnificent...
The Roman Triumph
It was the highest honor granted to a victorious general (or triumphator). It was the ultimate ambition of every great Roman military leader to be victorious in battle and be acknowledged with a Triumph.
A Triumph involved a lavish victory parade through Rome.
The parade would start at the Campus Martius, pass through the streets of Rome, and culminate at the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill.
The general would wear a toga lines with gold (toga picta) with a laurel wreath on their head.
They were driven through the streets of Rome on a chariot drawn by four horses.
The procession that the general lead would include his Romans soldiers, captives from the defeated armies, and the spoils of war.
Sometimes exotic animals from the region the general conquered would be included in the parade.
To prevent the general's ego from getting too big from the celebration, a slave would ride with him in his chariot, whispering "Momento Mori" (remember you will die) in his ear to remind him of his mortality.
The tradition of triumphs in Rome dates all the way back to it's founder Romulus, who celebrated a military victory over the Caeninenses in the 8th century BC.
Romulus celebrated his victory by parading through the streets and dedicating his spoils of war to Jupiter.
A Triumph was not awarded for just any old military victory.
There was a strict set of 4 criteria that had to be met to be awarded a Triumph...
The winning general had to hold the rank of dictator, consul, or praetor.
They had to win a decisive military victory in a "just war." An unnecessary conflict or civil war was not eligible for a Triumph.
At least 5,000 enemy troops had to be killed in the battle.
The military victory had to expand Roman territory or avenge a previous Roman military defeat.
Many Triumphs were celebrated throughout Roman History.
But there are three that particularly stand out as the most remembered and celebrated.
The Triumph of Pompey the Great (61 BC)
Pompey celebrated a Triumph after defeating one of Rome's most elusive enemies, Mithridates VI.
Pompey's Triumph was unprecedented in scale, including captives from 14 nations. Pompey's chariot was famously drawn by elephants.
The Triumph of Julius Caesar (46 BC)
Caesar celebrated four Triumphs in one month in 46 BC celebrating his many military victories.
Caesar's Triumph included prisoners of high status, including the Gallic military leader Vercingetorix who Caesar conquered at the Battle of Alesia.
The Triumph of Octavian (29 BC)
Octavian celebrated a triple Triumph in 29 BC to mark his victories in Illyria, The Battle of Actium, and Egypt.
This triumph marked the end of decades of civil war, the transition from Roman Republic to Roman Empire, and the beginning of the Pax Romana, an extended period of relative peace in Rome.
Triumphs continued throughout the Roman Empire.
The last officially recorded Triumph was celebrated by the emperor Honorius to mark his victory over the Visigoths in 403 AD.
To this day, Triumphs live on.
We still refer to great victories as Triumphs.
Parades still occur and crowds of people still rush to the streets to celebrate great victories.
Reminiscent of the ancient Roman Triumph.
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