The shield with eight spoked star above shows the name of the card, a palmtree on a grave with the visible word FATIS echoing the motto "TRAHOR FATIS. Also a golden skull, a bow and arrows with leaves appear on this Trumph.
Postumio's face is not visible. He is dressed in the unique green which he shares with Panfilio and wears a red cap with one feather. Only his backside is visible as it looks like he is looking to the skull. Postumio is the first one whose legs are not naked and the only one whose name is mentioned on a shield.
Skull symbolism:
The most common symbolic use of the skull is representation of death and mortality. Often death was depicted as a process of alchemical arts. Common emblems on such iconografy are the tomb, the skull and the crow which are associated with the necessary death of the Ego.
Celtic Skull Symbolism:
The skull was a vessel of sacred power of divine origin. It protects the possessor against all kinds of peril an gives health, wealth and victory. Sometimes these skulls were glazed with a thin layer of gold. The skull served as sared vessel for human blood libations to Teutates, and as cups strictly reserved for the use by the druids and the chiefs. (Source: encyclopedia.com ; head symbolism and ritual use)
- POSTUMIO SKULL.png (279.41 KiB) Viewed 3389 times
Roman Skull Symbolism:
For Romans the skull had a different meaning. The skull signified absence where there had been presence, not continuing presence. It was Lucretius who argued for this soul's mortality. He observed dying soldiers who continued to fight, not aware if their feet or arms are missing. Even the head when cut off from the warm and living trunk retains on the ground the expression of life with open eyes unitil it has delivered up all the remnants of soul. The head emptied of soul is also empty of trancendent meaning. Yet Romans brought back the heads of their dead for burial. The head was the person.
(source: Losing Our Heads: Beheadings in Literature and Culture/ Regina Janes)
The skull on Postumio is Postumio himself
Andrea Vitali describes Panfolio as Lucius Postumius Albinus (234 BC) a praetor(magistrate). His troops were defeated by the Boii, a Gallic tribe and allies of Hannibal. Postumio's head was emptied and decorated with gold in order to be used as a sacrificial chalice. The Boii brought the head to one of their temples.
On the card the skull is portraited in gold what might connect it with the Sun.
Albinus was also a member of the patrician gens Postumia, An ancient and noble Patrician family of Rome. Members of this family frequently occupied the chief magistracies of the Roman State.
Albinus must have been a very important man which was very beloved. When the news of Albinus death reached Rome it caused such an alarm that shops were closed and hardly the people ventured out of their homes. An onofficial public mourning stopped public life in Rome. Reason for the Senate to order the aediles to go around the city and order the citizens to re-open their shops. It seems that Postumius was also famous and beloved in other countries. This picture of the Roman General Postumius at the hands of the Boii is a miniature from a manuscript of the Romuléon (Les Faits des Romains) in French translation by Jean Miélot (Langres, France 1480-1485)
Food for thought: No Triumph for Posthumius and the palm tree on the grave
Postumius Albinus never was granted for a triumph to celebrate his victory although he commanded the land forces and gained many significant victories. He was granted a pro-consular extension to his command Postumius was not granted a triumph unlike his comrade.
- postumio skull tree head.JPG (37.87 KiB) Viewed 3389 times
The "Liber Platonis quartorium" recommends the use of the occiput (Part of the skull) as the vessel of transformation as it is the container of intellect and thought.
On this picture we see the same elements as on Postumio. A tree is growing out of the head of the lady which connects with the tree on the grave on his shield. The skull is present on both pictures. The artist of the SB put all the alchemical element on the shield and kept the skull separated.
According to Jung : what was to be extracted from matter was called cogitatio.
For me it is clear the artist has used the alchemical pictures Of the Secreta Secretorum for inspiration.
Postumio is granted Postume on the shield.
Never he got the triumph so important for Roman VIP's.
Posthumously he got his triumph in the Sola Busca, firstly in the triumph card itself but also hidden in the shield bearing his name. On the grave pictured on the shield is growing a Palm tree. Palm branches were used as symbol for victory, peace and eternal life and is originated in the Ancient Near-East and Mediterranean world.
In ancient Greence the palm branch was awarded to victorious athletes and a palm frond or the three itself is one of the most common atrributes of Victory personified in Ancient Rome.
It is very interesting the palm tree is related with Phoenix as it is said the palm tree was named after the Phoenix (Which nested in the highest branches of a palm tree. Like the Phoenix, the palm rises up again if it is burnt down.
Postumio's death shocked all people of Rome so they started an onofficial mourning. This man was meaningfull for the people and so important that Postumio got his triumph, at last.. posthumously ; after death; in the wonderfull tarot of Salo Busca. For his honour his name is mentioned on a shield in a vertical arrangement which is unique for all the triumphs. (as it is drawn in destiny)
Postumio as High priestess; some considerations
-The cross of the bow and arrows echoes with 2ofSw RWS and the High Priestess. II Duality.
-You only see the back of Postumio. (whose name is mentioned on a shield as exception of placing the names); this might vibrate with the veil of the High Priestess ; She does not need eyes; her third eye is enough.
-The connection with the alchemical picure of the lady with the tree growing out of her head. Doesn't reflect this with f.e. the RWS Highpriestess? She is in front of the veil with the pomgranate tree; she is in fact part of the veil and the tree of knowledge and is producing fruit of perfection!
-RFATIS which is marked on the shield is an anagram for FRATIS. In the Mithras cult members called each other brother. The Isis cult was also very present and Hathor is in the anagram which start to unveil at II Postumio.
-Connecting the High Priestess with the skull. On the tree of life The High Priestess passes Daath; the portal. Death of the Ego.
