Ovation

The ovation (Latin: ovatio) was a less-honored form of the Roman triumph. Ovations were granted, when war was not declared between enemies on the level of states, when an enemy was considered basely inferior (slaves, pirates), and when the general conflict was resolved with little to no bloodshed or danger to the army itself.

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The general celebrating the ovation did not enter the city on a biga (a two-horsed chariot) pulled by two white horses, as generals celebrating triumphs did, but instead walked in the toga pretexta of a magistrate (a toga with a purple stripe, unlike generals in triumphs, who wore the toga picta that was totally purple and adorned with golden stars).

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The honored general also wore a wreath of myrtle (sacred to Venus) upon his brow, rather than the triumphal wreath of laurel. The Roman Senate did not precede the general, nor did soldiers usually participate in the procession.

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Perhaps the most famous ovation in history is that which Marcus Licinius Crassus celebrated after his victory of the Third Servile War.

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Latin: Latin is an Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. It gained great importance as the formal language of the Roman Empire. All Romance languages are descended from Latin, and many words based on Latin are found in other modern languages such as English. The ...

Roman triumph: A Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly honour the military commander (dux) of a notably successful foreign war or campaign and to display the glories of Roman victory. Only men of senatorial or consular rank could perform a triumph and be a triumpha...

Slave: The word slave has several meanings and usages:...