In our previous lecture, we examined the Roman army in the visual world, and looked at generalized images of military visual markers. This lecture will take a more detailed look at one aspect of that military world, and that is the great triumphal processions, the triumphal parades that victorious generals held.

Now of course triumphant military victory is a key aspect of Roman imperial identity, and we see its imagery everywhere. There's a wonderful image here on the keystone of an arch of the emperor Trajan, showing him being crowned by the personification of Victory herself. The emperor's identity is really linked with that of a victorious general. In this image, he's not only being crowned by Victory, but is being surrounded by a frame of his enemies arms and armor.

So what we'll do here then, is take a look at these images of military victory, how it works throughout the city of Rome to really reinforce these particular values and Roman identities of military success, how it serves to create a unified community. A portion of Rome is the object of spectacle, but the rest of Rome is really the spectators, watching this great processional route.

In addition we need to look at the result of military victory for Rome, which is large-scale public buildings, designed to reinforce those notions of military success, for everyone who sees them.

Then finally, we'll cover the culminating events of a triumphal celebration, beyond the procession itself. It's a set of sacrifices and games that link religion, along with political authority, and military achievement, into a set of really spectacular displays which reinforce Roman power and show really what happens to those who face off against Roman power.

To fully appreciate this however, before we get started, if we could take advantage of our next opportunity to go to a 4th fo July parade, wherever we are. This is a superb opportunity to see this sort of notion of community of military and civilian all together, really all in one place. The notion of triumphal procession will then make so much more sense.

Well triumphal processions are really just victory parades for Roman generals. They bring the images of victory as well as tangible benefits of that victory to Roman people in the Roman world for the first time. A military campaign takes place on the edges of the Roman world, so people back in Rome may not be aware of it until the general of the army returns. There's no mass communication in the Roman world.

So these processions bring the imagery of that victory into Rome, as well as the benefits of successful Roman foreign policy. There's a standard format that we'll take a look at, with all the components of a great triumphal military procession.

The first component is the captives themselves. We find the parade beginning with captive barbarians, the enemy soldiers, those people who fought against Rome, being paraded through the city. We see a relief showing an arch of Septimius Severus, and there we see being carried through the city, captive barbarians on a trophy at the center of the little cart or float the men are carrying. It's got the shields and helmets, and then flanking that are the crouching barbarians who are on display to the Romans for what they have done, which is to have fought against Roman power.