THE 3rd of August is the day when Ancient Romans would truss up a live dog spreadeagle on a cross and carry it through the streets of the Eternal City ... as an admonition to other dogs not to fall asleep on guard duty. In the same procession, geese were decked out in gold and purple, and carried in honor ... for saving Rome from the Gauls in 390 BC.
This was the "supplicia canum" ... roughly "let this be a lesson to all dogs."
Romans
generally loved dogs and even erected tombs to them (see photo) but the
Gallic Siege of Rome so traumatized Romans that they never forgot how
guard dogs let them down ... and how a flock of sacred geese saved the
city.
The
Gauls had not only crossed the Rubicon, they had also defeated a Roman
legion led by a swaggering but inept general ... and marched on Rome in
June 390 BC.
Residents of the city fled in disarray ... all able-bodied residents, that is.
The
elderly, invalids, the infirm and women heavy with child were led up
the steep slope of the Capitoline Hill by the few brave soldiers who had
stayed behind ... to the temples of Jupiter and Juno, where priests
shared their accommodations and foodstuffs.
Among
the huddled humanity atop the hill were the Vestal Virgins who ... of
course ... were sworn never to leave the city lest the Sacred Flame go
out.
Amidst
the mad scramble up the hill ... the Gauls battering down the gates of
the city ... the Vestal Virgins had maintained a modicum of decorum and
had solemnly brought the Sacred Flame with them, chanting and burning
incense as everyone else panicked.
The
Gauls took their time sacking the city ... content in the knowledge
that sooner or later the defenders atop the hill would relent from
hunger and thirst ... upon which time the temple treasures would be
theirs for the taking.
Indeed, food and water were quickly gone as the siege stretched into the final days of July 390 BC.
Everyone
was dying of hunger and thirst ... except for the Sacred Flock of Geese
at the Temple of Juno who continued to be pampered with grain and water
by the priestesses.
The
mob eyed the fat geese greedily ... but the priestesses stood firm ...
reminding them that Juno would protect the city only as long as the city
protected her Sacred Geese.
Things
looked dire when, on the night before the 3rd of August 390 BC, the
besieged refugees were so weak that they fell into a stupor ... they
were dying ... and the Gauls saw that their chance had arrived.
The
Gauls stealthily scaled the undefended Tarpeian Rock side of the hill
... content in the knowledge that the Roman guards and even the watch
dogs had fallen asleep.
But
the Gauls hadn't counted on the Sacred Geese ... who squawked loud
enough to wake the dead ... and roused the guards, who quickly hurled
the invaders from their siege ladders.
As
dawn broke, the defenders saw clouds of dust on the horizon ... every
available legion from the provinces was rushing to defend Mother Rome.
This time it was the Gauls who retreated in disarray ... dropping most of their loot and fleeing in disarray.
By
nightfall, Roman soldiers had retaken the city and were feeding the
starving residents ... and the Vestal Virgins were putting the Sacred
Flame back into its temple niche in the Forum temple.
The defenders were henceforth heralded as heroes of Rome ....
... all except for the night watchmen and the guard dogs ... who were hurled from the Tarpeian Rock to their deaths.
Every August 3rd after that the Sacred Geese were honored ... and a dog was symbolically crucified.
Every August 3rd after that the Sacred Geese were honored ... and a dog was symbolically crucified.
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