Quindecimviri sacris faciundis
| Priesthoods of ancient Rome |
|---|
 Flamen (250–260 AD) |
| Major colleges |
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Pontifices · Augures · Vestales Flamines · Septemviri epulonum Quindecimviri sacris faciundis |
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Other colleges or sodalities |
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Fetiales · Fratres Arvales · Salii Titii · Luperci · Sodales Augustales |
| Priests |
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Pontifex Maximus · Rex Sacrorum Flamen Dialis · Flamen Martialis Flamen Quirinalis Rex Nemorensis · Curio maximus |
| Priestesses |
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Virgo Vestalis Maxima Flaminica Dialis Regina sacrorum |
| Related topics |
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Religion in ancient Rome |
In ancient Rome, the quindecimviri sacris faciundis were the fifteen (quindecim) members of a college (collegium) with priestly duties. Most notably they guarded the Sibylline Books, scriptures which they consulted and interpreted at the request of the Senate. This collegium also oversaw the worship of any foreign gods which were introduced to Rome.
Originally these duties had been performed by duumviri (or duoviri), two men of patrician status. Their number was increased to ten by a Licinio-Sextian law in 367 BCE, which also required for half of the priests to be plebs. During the Middle Republic, members of the college were admitted through co-option.
At some point in the third century BCE, several priesthoods, probably including the quindecimviri, began to be elected through the voting tribes.[1]
References
- ↑ Andrew Lintott, The Constitution of the Roman Republic (Oxford University Press, 1999), pp. 183–184 online.
External links
- Decemviri Sacris Faciundis in Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities at LacusCurtius