Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

TRIUMPHUS. 395 TRIUMPHUS.

That the war should have been a legitimate
contest against public foes, and not a civil
contest. Hence Catulus celebrated no tri-
umph over Lepidus, nor Antonius over Cati-
line, nor Cinna and Marius over their antago-
nists of the Sullan party, nor Caesar after
Pharsalia ; and when he did subsequently
triumph after his victory over the sons of
Pompey, it caused universal disgust. G.
That the dominion of the state should have
been extended, and not merely something
previously lost regained. The absolute ac-
quisition of territory does not appear to have
heen essential. 7. That the war should have
been brought to a conclusion and the province
reduced to a state of peace, so as to permit of
*he army being withdrawn, the presence of
the victorious soldiers being considered indis-
pensable in a triumph. The senate claimed
the exclusive right of deliberating upon all
these points, and giving or withholding the
honour sought, and they for the most part
exercised the privilege without question,
except in times of great political excitement.
The sovereignty of the people, however, in
this matter was asserted at a very early date,
and a triumph is said to have been voted by
the tribes to Valerius and Horatius, the con-
suls of b. c. 446, in direct opposition to the
resolution of the fathers, and in a similar
manner to C. Marcius Iiutilus the first ple-
beian dictator, while L. Postumius Megellus,
consul b. c. 294, celebrated a triumph,
although resisted by the senate and seven out
of the ten tribunes. Nay, more, we read of
a certain Appius Claudius, consul b. c. 143,
who having persisted in celebrating a tri-
umph in defiance of both the senate and
people, was accompanied by his daughter (or
sister) Claudia, a vestal virgin, and by her
interposition saved from being dragged from
his chariot by a tribune. A disappointed
general, however, seldom ventured to resort
to such violent measures, but satisfied him-
self with going through the forms on the
Alban Mount, a practice first introduced by
C. Papirius Maso. If the senate gave their
consent, they at the same time voted a sum
of money towards defraying the necessary
expenses, and one of the tribunes ex auctori-
tate senatus applied for a plebiscitum to per-
mit the imperator to retain his imperium on
the day when he entered the city. This last
form could not be dispensed with either in an
ovation or a triumph, because the imperium
conferred by the comitia cur;ata did not in-
clude the city itself, and when a general had
once gone forth paludatus, his military power
ceased as soon as he re-entered the gates,
unless the general law had been previously
suspended by a special enactment ; and in

this manner the resolution of the senate was,
as it were, ratified by the plebs. For this
reason no one desiring a triumph ever entered
the city until the question was decided, since
by so doing he would ipso facto have forfeited
all claim. We have a remarkable example of
this in the case of Cicero, who after his return
from Cilicia lingered in the vicinity of Rome
day after day, and dragged about his lictors
from one place to another, without entering
the city, in the vain hope of a triumph.—In
later times these pageants were marshalled
with extraordinary pomp and splendour, and
presented a most gorgeous spectacle. Minute
details would necessarily be different accord-
ing to circumstances, but the general arrange-
ments were as follows. The temples were all
thrown open, garlands of flowers decorated
every shrine and image, and incense smoked
on every altar. Meanwhile the imperator
called an assembly of his soldiers, delivered
an oration commending their valour, and
concluded by distributing rewards to the most
distinguished, and a sum of money to each
individual, the amount depending on the
value of the spoils. He then ascended his
triumphal car and advanced to the Porta Tri-
umphalis, where he was met by the whole body
of the senate headed by the magistrates. The
procession then defiled in the following order.

1. The senate headed by the magistrates.

2. A body of trumpeters. 3. A train of
carriages and frames laden with spoils, those
articles which were especially remarkable
either on account of their beauty or rarity
being disposed in such a manner as to be
seen distinctly by the crowd. Boards were
borne aloft on fercula, on which were
painted in large letters the names of van-
quished nations and countries. Here, too,
models were exhibited in ivory or wood of
the cities and forts captured, and pictures
of the mountains, rivers, and other great
natural features of the subjugated region,
with appropriate inscriptions. Gold and
silver in coin or bullion, arms, weapons,
and horse furniture of every description,
statues, pictures, vases, and other works of
art, precious stones, elaborately wrought
and richly embroidered stuffs, and every
object which could be regarded as valuable
or curious. 4. A body of flute players.
5. The white hulls or oxen destined for
sacrifice, with gilded horns, decorated with
infulae and serta, attended by the slaughter-
ing priests with their implements, and fol-
lowed by the Camilli bearing in their hands
paterae and other holy vessels and instru-
ments. 6. Elephants or any other strange
animals, natives of the conquered districts.
7. The arms and insignia of the leaders of