A Roman Triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite
of ancient Rome, held to publicly honour the military
commander (dux) of a notably successful foreign war or
campaign and to display the glories of Roman victory.
Only men of senatorial rank could perform a triumph and
be a triumphator. In order to receive a triumph, the dux
must: 1. Win a significant victory over a foreign enemy,
killing at least 5,000 enemy troops. 2. Be an elected
magistrate with the power of imperium, i.e. a consul or
a praetor. 3. Bring the army home, signifying that the
war was over and that the army was no longer needed. Of
course this only applied to the Republican era when the
army was a citizen army. By the imperial period, when
the army was professional, the proper triumph was reserved
for the emperor and his family. If a general was awarded
a triumph by the emperor, he would march with a token
amount of his troops. 4. In the Republican period, the
senate had to give approval for a triumph based on the
above mentioned requirements.
|
