La victoria como justificación del bellum pium y la pax deorum: el caso de Numancia

Abstract

Bellum pium and conservation of the pax deorum were a matter of vital importance to Roman civitas. War could easily provoke the rage of gods. To avoid it, ius fetiale was developed. This article discusses the accusation made by Mancinus against Quintus Pompeius, whom he blamed for breaking the pax deorum and for being the cause of the defeat of the Roman army. The Senate, led by Scipio, rejected the accusation and applied the ius fetiale to deliver Mancinus to the numantini. The defeat of the Roman army and the doubts about the veracity of the accusation made Scipio take charge of the campaign against Numantia. His success confirmed that there had not been a failure of the pax deorum and that the war against Numantia had been a bellum pium.