Supplicationes

Supplicationes (Latin: supplicatio, plural) were ritualized public prayers and thanksgiving ceremonies in ancient Roman religious practice. Originating in the early Republic, a supplicatio was proclaimed by the Senate or a magistrate in response to a military victory, a deliverance from danger, or the successful completion of a public project. The decree called for a designated number of days—typically three for minor events and up to fifteen for major triumphs—during which citizens gathered in the Forum or other civic spaces to offer sacrifices, chant hymns, and perform processions. The purpose was to thank the gods, particularly Jupiter, Mars, and the deified ancestors, for their favor and to seek continued protection.

In a legal context, the term also referred to formal petitions presented to magistrates or the Senate. Citizens or communities could submit a supplicatio to request redress, the granting of privileges, or the appointment of a magistrate. Such petitions followed prescribed formulae and were recorded in official registers. The dual use of the term reflects the intertwined nature of Roman religion and statecraft, where public prayer could serve both sacred and civic functions.

Supplicationes played a role in reinforcing social cohesion, as participation was a civic duty that linked individuals to the collective identity of the Roman polis. Over time, the practice evolved; during the Imperial period the emperor’s authority to decree supplicatio became a symbol of his role as pontifex maximus, and the ceremonies often incorporated imperial cult elements. By the late antique period, the institution declined as Christianity gained prominence, though the language of supplicatio persisted in ecclesiastical writings as a term for prayerful petitions.