National Geographic History - July 2019

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY 47

the festivities would last for an entire day. The

parade followed a sacred route through the city,

starting at the gate, Porta Triumphalis, proceed-

ing to the Campus Martius (Field of Mars) and

then along the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) to the

temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill.

Politicians would proceed first, often fol-

lowed by musicians and entertainers. Prison-

ers of war were paraded before Rome, as well

as the plunder gained through the victory. For

the grand finale, the general and his soldiers

(the only time when the army could enter the

sacred bound aries of the city) would march

as crowds cheered them on.

Sacred Rituals

In the Roman Republic, generals requested

triumphs, but it was the Senate that granted

them—only if a victory met a series of condi-

tions. The win had to be a major battle (with

a minimum of 5,000 enemy casualties ) that

ended a war. While the Senate deliberated, the

general would wait outside the city gates. If he

failed to qualify for a full-blown triumph, he

could be granted an ovatio (ovation), a slightly

lesser celebration.

When triumphs were granted, a grand proces-

sion was held throughout the streets of Rome.

Details varied over the centuries, but typically

AFRICAN

ENEMY

A first-century B.C.

bust (below) depicts

Numidian king Juba I,

defeated by Caesar

in 46 B.C. Louvre

Museum, Paris

King Pharnaces II of Pontus,
ruler of the Bosporan kingdom,
invades Roman territory. Caesar
takes a legion and swiftly
defeats him in the Battle of Zela.
Pharnaces escapes, but is killed
by one of his officers.

The battle of Thapsus takes

place between Caesar’s troops

and the remnants of Pompey’s

army, supported by King

Juba I of Numidia. Caesar is

victorious, and Juba dies in a

suicide pact.

Caesar celebrates four triumphs

in Rome, marking victories in Gaul,

Egypt, Pontus, and Africa. This last

triumph raises hackles in Rome,

as the victory was part of Caesar’s

general struggle against his rival and

fellow Roman, Pompey the Great.

47 B.C. April 46 B.C. Sept.–Oct., 46 B.C.

DEA/ALBUM