The Triumphs of 193 B.C.

[Ass. Admin B]

The year 193 saw something quite unusual. A double triumph. This was relatively unheard of, and many citizens of Rome thought that this was a serious watering down of the occasion, but a party is a party, and free bread is free bread. It was thus arranged that first the Ligurian champions would pass through Rome, and then the week after the Hispanic contingent. To recount both triumphs would take a while, but given the similarity a brief description is necessary. Both conquerors had returned home with plenty of loot, and both displayed them proudly upon the parade carriages that went through the city. From Hispania, gold and silver was aplenty while from Liguria it amounted mostly to slaves and less valuable metals. Then came the long procession of captured prisoners of war, who were unknowingly marching towards their doom. For as is tradition, they were ritually strangled one by one at the entrance to the Temple of Jupiter, to jubilant cheering from the crowds.

At the triumph of Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, he held the following speech at the end of his triumph:

[Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo Hispanicus]

Consul Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo Hispanicus, clad in purple with his face painted red, rode his chariot across the Pomerium with his army and spoils of war before him. Affixed to the sides of the chariot were ornate and beautiful swords taken from the tribal chieftains of the conquered territories. Within the chariot sat buckets of gold coins that the Consul would grab handfuls of and toss into the crowd if a spectator caught his eye or he recognized a family. Before the chariot walked Ilergetes, Carpetani, Turduli, and Celtici slaves. They were enormous brutish men whose ferocity and independence had all but vanished from their eyes. Along with the procession came enormous billboards showing a map of the campaign of the Consul along with an updated map of Hispania showing the conquered territories.

Hispania Consular Campaign of 193B.C.

New Map of Hispania.

When the procession reached the Temple of Jupiter, Consul Domitius Corbulo Hispanicus climbed the stairs and addressed the assembled crowds.

"Citizens of Rome. When the sun rose this morning it saw a new Rome. It saw a hundred thousand new subjects enlightened by civilization and by our generous Gods. It saw endless fields of olives, flax, wheat, and grapes. It saw an endless supply of gold and silver brought forth from the deepest parts of the Earth by Dis Pater himself. It saw....Hispania. But it was not the angry and untamed Hispania that Carthage left. It was a land beginning to walk the path laid down by the Gods. A land full of people yearning to leave behind their barbarous ways and walk in the light beside us.

Seven months ago I left this city with the promise of bringing the light to the darkest corners of Hispania. Today I return to tell you a hundred thousand more souls now welcome the Gods with open arms. Not only this, but my campaign throughout Hispania has brought 1 million denarii to the treasury of Rome and the dividends from the captured territories will be even greater over the coming years. Let it be known that through the blessings of the Gods the legions under my command knew only victory against the barbarous foe. Five bloody battles were fought but Mars would not let our soldiers so much as flinch in the face of the enemy. Let the word go out from this time and place that no enemy who disgraces the Gods by taking up arms against Rome shall triumph so long as Hispanicus is on the field.

Due to the generosity of the Gods, I return to Rome with treasures and wealth beyond what any mortal man should have. With this in mind, I dedicate 900,000 denarii to the restoration and construction of aqueducts for Rome. To commemorate these victories I will also be building a Large Triumphal Quadrifrontal Arch. Let us go now and enjoy the rest of this celebration of victory."

[Ass. Admin B]

And indeed, that day was filled with festivities of every type as families returned home and celebrated the glorious triumph of Hispanicus. The speech that Liguricus gave was equally as popular, as he remarked:

[Gaius Claudius Nero Liguricus]

As the Triumphant precession begins, a convoy of wagons, carriages and marching men are seen as far as the eye can see. Thousands of captured slaves are seen marching along, with wagons full of various precious metals and valuable items, with a few billboards intermittently placed throughout showcasing the newly added lands to the Republic.

Nearing the Temple of Jupiter, Consul Claudius Nero Liguricus ascended the steps to address the crowd.

Citizens of Rome!

When I first came before you as a contender for Consul, I swore that I would seek revenge and justice for the Roman lives lost in our Colonia of Genua, Placentia and Cremona that were sacked and burned to cinders by the Ligurians and Punics.

Well, today I stand before you victorious over the Ligurian peoples. Our fellow countrymen that were killed by those barbarians who sided with the Punic menace Mago have been avenged, with nine tribes now kneeling before the Republic. Lands equal in size to Sardinia have been conquered for the Republic, and Rome's north is, at long last, finally secured.

Not since the great Scipio Africanus have we had an Agnomina been provided, and I cannot express just how grateful and thankful I am for the people of Rome to grant upon me the Agnomen of "Liguricus" for our victories over the barbarians. It was only made possible by the brave soldiers that served with me, and I thank them all for their service this year.

This year we have shown that it is Rome that will triumph over the barbarians, and by the blessing of Sol himself guiding us to victory, we were never led astray. Therefore, I declare today that I will be personally funding the construction of a Huge Temple dedicated to Sol for repelling the tribal darkness and warming the lands to be fertile and prosperous for Romans all! Under Sol's guiding grace we will rebuild our Colonia and ensure Roman prosperity for generations to come.

Lastly, before we carry on with the celebrations, there is one last thing I want to say. After talks with myself, Consul Corbulo Hispanicus, Senator Furius Pavo, Senator Lucretius Tricipitinus, and the ambassadors of the Seleucid Empire have concluded, we have successfully gotten the vile Hannibal himself in chains brought to Rome. At long last, we can finally state with absolute certainty that as of this day, the Punic wars have conclusively ended. Roma est Victricem! Roma Invicta!

[Ass. Admin B]

And these two speeches would be remembered for all time by the Romans, who took as much stock in good oratory as they did in good leadership. Together, the dual-triumphs of 193 B.C. were an outlier in how triumphs were done, but none in Rome complained, for it merely meant merriment aplenty for a long time.