Well, life has been too busy these days and this blog has suffered for it. I had this typed up a while ago but never did post it… so I thought I would now,
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I thought this was really cool… It was about the Roman triumph and how big of a deal it was for a Roman general to receive one. If a general won a great victory he would be awarded a triumph in Rome. These were relatively rare events so it was a special honor.
“The figure of the triumphator stood out clearly, because he wore the gold and purple costume of the old kings, he painted his face to resemble the cult statue of Jupiter Best and Greatest in the temple on the Capitoline Hill, and he rode a four-horse hariot, just as did representations of the god.” Boatwright, Talbert, Gargola, The Romans From Village to Empire
Appian describes the triumph that occured after Scipio Africanus defeated the Carthaginians,
He (Scipio Africanus) wore a crown of gold and precious stones, and was dressed, in a traditional fashion, in a purple toga woven with golden stars. He carried a scepter of ivory, and a laurel branch, which is invariably the Roman symbol of victory. Appian, Punic Wars 66
And then there is Jesus triumph. It almost seems as though Jesus purposely chose to enter Jerusalem in such a way to contrast with the pomp and vanity of a Roman triumph. Here is the one who had proven beyond all doubt that he is God with us, riding into Jerusalem on a humble donkey; a colt that had never been ridden before. Jesus didn’t need to apply makeup and wear a costume to look like a god. His words and works had validated his claim to deity. Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the cheers of a people that were defeated and beaten down. All of it was so… un-Roman.
yet its amazing to think that his humble entry into Jerusalem was a fulfillment of a prophecy made centuries before by Zechariah,
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zech. 9:2
It looked like a half eaten deer carcass. I am not sure what is worse, coming across a mother bear with her cub or interrupting a bear from its meal! I saw a fight once from an old discovery channel show, between a wolverine and a bear over a kill and it wasn’t nice. Anyway, we had to get back to camp so we kept moving. Turns out, it was an old red and brown tent caught in the bushes! Worried for nothing!