The ovation ( from ovare: to rejoice) was a lesser formOxford English Dictionary of the Roman triumph. Ovations were granted when war was not declared between enemies on the level of nations or states; when an enemy was considered basely inferior (e.g., slaves, pirates); or when the general conflict was resolved with little or no danger to the army itself. The ovation could also be given rather than a triumph when there were extenuating circumstances, such as when Marcus Marcellus was given an ovation in lieu of a triumph as his army remained in Sicily and therefore was unable to cross the pomerium.

The general celebrating the ovation did not enter the city on a biga, a chariot pulled by two white horses, as generals celebrating triumphs did, but instead rode on horseback in the toga praetexta of a magistrate.

The honoured 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.

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

Ovation holders Republic There were 23 known ovations during the Republic.G. Rohde. Ovatio, RE XVIII, 1939, pp. 1890–1903 503 BC – Publius Postumius Tubertus (over Sabines)Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 15:38 487 BC – Gaius Aquillius TuscusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic pp. 19–20 474 BC – Gnaeus Manlius VulsoFasti Triumphales 462 BC – T. Veturius Geminus Cicurinus 421 BC – Cn. Fabius VibulanusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic pp. 69–70 410 BC – C. Valerius Potitus VolususT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 77 390 BC – Marcus Manlius CapitolinusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 92 360 BC – Marcus Fabius Ambustus 290 or 289 BC – M. Curius DentatusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic pp. 183–184 211 BC – M. Claudius MarcellusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic pp. 273–274 207 BC – Gaius Claudius NeroT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 294 200 BC – Lucius Cornelius LentulusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 324 196 BC – Cn. Cornelius Blasius 195 BC – M. Helvius 191 BC – Marcus Fulvius Nobilior 185 BC – L. Manlius Acidinus FulvianusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 373 182 BC – A. Terentius VarroT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic p. 383 174 BC – Ap. Claudius Centho 132 BC – M. PerpernaFlorus, Epitome of Roman History, book 2:7–8 99 BC – M. AquiliusT. Robert S. Broughton. The magistrates of the Roman Republic, p. 3 71 BC – M. Licinius CrassusPlutarch, The Life of Crassus 11:8 44 BC – Julius Caesar 40 BC – Augustus 40 BC – Marcus Antonius 36 BC – Augustus

Principate 11 BC – Nero Claudius DrususLendering, Jona, Arch of Drusus 9 BC (approved in 11 BC) – TiberiusSuetonius, The Life of Tiberius 9 20 – Drusus Julius CaesarAlan K. Bowman, Edward Champlin, Andrew Lintott. The Cambridge Ancient History: The Augustan Empire, 43 B.C. – A.D. 69, p. 554 40 – CaligulaSuetonius, The Life of Caligula 49 47 – Aulus PlautiusTacitus, "Annales" (xiii. 32) 55 – NeroAlan K. Bowman, Edward Champlin, Andrew Lintott. The Cambridge Ancient History: The Augustan Empire, 43 B.C. – A.D. 69, p. 224 93 – DomitianJohn Donahue, Titus Flavius Domitianus (A.D. 81–96)

See also

Roman triumph Roman triumphal honours Standing ovation

Notes