Roman Triumph

A Roman Triumph was a ceremony of the ancient Rome by which the military commander (Dux[?] = leader) that had reported notable success in foreign war or conquer campaigns, was publicly honoured.

The ceremony consisted of a spectacular parade, usually in the area of Forum in which centuries after was reopened the current Via dei Fori Imperiali; the dux was brought on a biga[?], a chart with 2 white horses, with a slave behind him holding a laurus[?] crown over his head (not touching it). Notably, this slave had to repeat continuously the sentence: memento homo (remember you're only a man - or: still a man). The ceremony in fact was so important that dux could have lost the sense of proportions, maybe considering that roman gods[?] had similar celebrations, so the slave had to whisper that warning to avois dangerous comparisons.

The parade was opened by the chiefs of conquered people, followed by gold and other valuable things captured during the campaign (slaves too), and finally the dux. It was concretely an exhibit of what had been brought to the patrimony of S.P.Q.R. (Senatus PopulusQue Romanus).

To better celebrate the triumph, a monument was usually erected: this is the origin of the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Constantine, not far from Colosseum.