On Some Triumphs in the Epoch of Civil Wars in the Roman Republic

Abstract

The article is devoted to some triumphs that are usually perceived as victory celebrations over fellow citizens in bella civilia. The author analyzes the triumphs of Sulla, Caesar, and D. Brutus (the latter triumph was voted but not held). In his opinion, there were no signs of celebrations of victory over fellow citizens during Sulla’s triumph; only the victory over Mithridates VI of Pontus was celebrated. Such hints might have been dropped during Caesar’s African triumph, but modern researchers seem to overestimate their importance. Only late authors perceived the African and Spanish triumphs as victory celebrations also over fellow citizens. At the same time, the absence of any negative reaction to the granting to Decimus Brutus of a triumph over Antonius is noteworthy. It shows deep changes in the perception of triumphs at the end of the Roman Republic.