Pliny NH 15.40: the Delphic laurel is a uniform greener colour, and has very large berries of a reddish green; and that this laurel is used to make wreaths for the winners at Delphi, as it is for generals going in triumph at Rome. … Another addition is the royal laurel, which has begun to be called the Augusta laurel, a very large tree with a very large leaf and berries without any rough taste. Some say that the royal laurel and the Augusta are not the same, and make out the royal to be a special kind, with longer and broader leaves. The same persons … much to my surprise give the name of triumphal laurel to one that has no berries, and say that this is the one used by persons celebrating a triumph—unless the use of it began with his late Majesty Augustus, as we shall show, as sprung from the laurel which was sent down to him from heaven, which was a very low growing tree with a short, crinkled leaf, and very rarely met with.
I thought I might save my 300th for something extra cool but this is just another note to self.
Delphic Laurel = Triumphal Laurel, no problem just an agonistic type of symbolism
Royal Laurel = Augusta Laurel, so… that which is fit for kings is reserved for emperors?!
And the Divine Augustan Triumphal Laurel is something else entirely…
Liv Mariah Yarrow 