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Updated: June 28, 2025
The practical gain which accrued to the Roman community from their religion was a code of moral law gradually developed by the priests, and the -Pontifices- in particular, which on the one hand supplied the place of police regulations at a time when the state was still far from providing any direct police-guardianship for its citizens, and on the other hand brought to the bar of the gods and visited with divine penalties the breach of moral obligations.
The consulars led by Favonius murmur: I hold my tongue, the more so that the pontifices have as yet given no answer in regard to my house. If they annul the consecration I shall have a splendid site. So our affairs are "For happy though but ill, for ill not worst." In regard to money matters I am, as you know, much embarrassed.
First among these comes the office of pontifex, a word which is variously interpreted, either as "bridge-maker," that being a very important and solemn proceeding, or as leader in a religious procession. There were originally five pontifices, and the number was afterwards raised to fifteen.
Compared with the substantial gain that by the shelving of the censorship the magistracy lost its crowning dignity, it was a matter of little moment and was not at all prejudicial to the sole dominion of the supreme governing corporation, that with a view to satisfy the ambition of the senators now so much more numerous the number of the pontifices and that of the augurs was increased from nine, that of the custodiers of oracles from ten, to fifteen each, and that of the banquet-masters from three to seven.
It was at this same time that the so-called Julian supply of water was piped into Rome and the festival that had been vowed for the successful completion of the war against the assassins was held by the consuls. The duties belonging to the so-called Septemviri were performed by the pontifices, since none of the former was present: this was also done on many other occasions.
Compared with the substantial gain that by the shelving of the censorship the magistracy lost its crowning dignity, it was a matter of little moment and was not at all prejudicial to the sole dominion of the supreme governing corporation, that with a view to satisfy the ambition of the senators now so much more numerous the number of the pontifices and that of the augurs was increased from nine, that of the custodiers of oracles from ten, to fifteen each, and that of the banquet-masters from three to seven.
It is of the very nature of a chronicle that it should attach prehistoric speculation to history and endeavour to go back, if not to the origin of heaven and earth, at least to the origin of the community; and there is express testimony that the table of the pontifices specified the year of the foundation of Rome.
It is likely, although it can no longer be proved, that all the old Latin priesthoods of Rome the Augurs, Pontifices, Vestals, and Fetials originated in the same way from a combination of the priestly colleges of the Palatine and Quirinal communities.
Cotta very opportunely declares: "Quum de religione agitur, Ti. Coruncanium, P. Scipionem, P. Scaevolam, pontifices maximos, non Zenonem, aut Cleanthem, aut Chrysippum, sequor."
The statements regarding the original number of the augurs in particular vary. On the number of the pontifices comp. Staatsrecht, ii. 20. It is only an unreflecting misconception that can discover in this usage a reminiscence of ancient human sacrifices. I. XII. Nature of the Roman Gods I. XII. Priests 15. -Sors- from -serere-, to place in row.
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