ovatio

An ovatio was an ancient Roman honor granted to a general who achieved a victory of lesser importance than that meriting a triumph. While a triumph involved a grand procession through Rome, the ovatio was a more modest ceremony. The general would typically walk or ride on horseback, wearing the purple-bordered toga of a regular magistrate and a wreath of myrtle, rather than the royal purple and gold tunic of a triumphator. This distinction highlighted the difference in the scale of military success being celebrated. The term "ovation" has since evolved in modern usage to mean a demonstration of popular acclaim, especially through enthusiastic applause.123