Regal Rome: An Introduction to Roman History

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 Excerpt: ... to certain gods, especially to Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus; the pontiffs, on the contrary, had general duties, and a superintendence over the whole. They were to the flamens as a college of cardinals to the deans of particular cathedrals. The augurs were already a separate class under Numa, perhaps nearly as the ... Read More

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 Excerpt: ... to certain gods, especially to Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus; the pontiffs, on the contrary, had general duties, and a superintendence over the whole. They were to the flamens as a college of cardinals to the deans of particular cathedrals. The augurs were already a separate class under Numa, perhaps nearly as the diviners (iwtsis) in Greece, and were consulted even by individuals; but it may be doubted whether they were, properly speaking, public officers publici augures regis vel populi Homani) until the elder Tarquin, when their importance to the comitia and to the armies was greatly enhanced. From the later position of state-augurs and pontiffs, it is manifest that the acceptance of such a post did not withdraw men from civil life, and therefore it is not necessary to suppose that the original revenues sufficed to maintain the persons who held the offices. The three high flamens, indeed, appear to have been almost exclusively ecclesiastical, as well as the four (afterward six) vestal virgins; and these were main SAMAlfS AOT FETIAL. 95 tained in much dignity, Respecting the salians, if is difficult to ascertain whether their functions interfered with ordinary employments; but we may conjecture that they did not. Numa's college of salians--called the Palatine, because their treasury was on the Palatine hill--consisted of twelve men of the best families, who, during the first days of March, danced in armor and sang with music to the honor of Mars Gradivius; or, as Varro says, of Mamurius Veturius. They are compared by Dionysius to those whom the Greeks named curetes, in regard to the style of their warlike dancing; that the Romans were reminded of it by the dances of-the Gauls and Spaniards, is manifest by their applying the word tripudia to the latter. At ... Read Less