Tattoo

At Camp Jupiter, the campers get permanent tattoos for every year they've been at camp or for quests they've completed, similar to the Camp Necklace beads at Camp Half-Blood. The tattoos have lines on them that are similar to a bar code which symbolizes the marks of honor given to Roman soldiers after every battle. The tattoos do not wear off because they are burned on the legion member's skin on the forearm. Along with the lines, the symbol of the legionnaire's parent, or ancestor in case of legacies, and SPQR is also present in the tattoo.

SPQR stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus, meaning "The Senate and People of Rome." It was used as an official signature of the government, such as on coins, documents, statues, or dedications and also the standards.

Usage[]

When a camper at Camp Jupiter is no longer on probatio and is accepted into the legion, they are branded with the initials SPQR, the symbol of their godly parent, or ancestor (if they are a legacy, like Octavian) and lines underneath, showing their years of service to the Legion.

Known Godly Symbols[]

• Children and legacies of Jupiter are marked with an eagle.
• Children and legacies of Apollo are marked with a lyre.
• Children and legacies of Mars are marked with two crossed spears.
• Children and legacies of Bellona are marked with a crossed sword and torch.
• Children and legacies of Pluto are marked with a black glyph like a cross with curved arms and a "head", resembling the astrological sign for the planet Pluto.
• Children and legacies of Neptune are marked with a trident.
• Children and legacies of Janus are marked with both of his faces.
• Children and legacies of Venus are marked with a dove.
• Children and legacies of Vulcan are marked with a flaming hammer.
• Children and legacies of Ceres are marked with a sickle and grain.
• Children and legacies of Mercury are marked with a caduceus.
• Children and legacies of Cardea are marked with a hinge.

Trivia[]

• The historic Romans did not have tattoos as they were very focused on the perfect body, and tattoos were seen as something disrupting the natural beauty of the body.
• In the graphic novel adaptation of The Son of Neptune, all tattoos are the same. Rather then being marked by the symbol of their godly parent or ancestor, legionnaires are all branded with the eagle of Jupiter.
• As revealed in Camp Jupiter Classified: A Probatio's Journal, if a camper is both a demigod and a legacy, or a legacy of two gods, they are given two tattoos.
  • However, this only happens when both divine ancestors are known or recognized at the moment of receiving the tattoo. As Frank Zhang was only marked as Mars' son, not Poseidon's legacy, due to not knowing his family's lineage at the time.
• Tattoos are normally given to legionnaires by the Augur, however a camper's divine parent or ancestor can brand them as well.
• Tattoos are made with the Fire of the Gods.
• Sometimes, Campers can be marked even if they did not do a noble or heroic deed. They can also be marked if they are claimed or their godly parent is already known. As Frank Zhang was marked right after Mars showed up at Camp Jupiter and did not do any deed whatsoever, although that was due to Mars ordering Frank to be the quest leader and only Centurions could lead a quest and not due to being claimed.