THE ANTONINE GUARD
LIVING ROMAN HISTORY
 
Roman Priesthoods
 
 

The public rites of the Religio Romana were performed and controlled by a number of different priestly Colleges and other special priests and magistrates. Those priestly organizations that ranked below the Collegia were known as Sodalicia, and there were many 'independent' priests of various cults who bore the title of 'Sacerdos' (the Latin term for priest). In addition, there were a number of priesthoods of well-established 'foreign' cults, such as the cult of Isis, Cybele and Mithras.

Priests served a specific deity and were responsible for the care of the temple and the public rites and observances concerned with that deity. However, priests were also free to worship other deities as they wished, as long as their priestly obligations were met.

Priests in the Greek and Roman world were generally appointed for life, or for as long as the individual wished to serve, although some priesthoods were only allocated for a year at a time. Normally, state priests were appointed in some way by the state, often by actual election. On the other hand, many 'independent' priesthoods could be chosen by existing members of that priesthood from suitable candidates. Being a priest did not necessarily exclude the individual from participating in public life; often the opposite was the case, with the holding of a priesthood proving to be a useful tool in an individual's political career. Some of the more senior priesthoods did carry an array of prohibitions and taboos that might interfere with political aims, although an aspiring politician could always find ways around this if he was determined enough.

The four most important state colleges were as follows:

The Collegium Pontificum (College of Pontiffs)

The Collegium Pontificum (College of Pontiffs)

The Collegium Pontificum consisted of fifteen priests, known as Pontiffs who served the public rites of the state religion and had general authority to determine the structure and nature of both the public rites and the priesthoods themselves. They acted as the general oversight committee for the public rites of the Religio Romana and could appoint members of the various priesthoods. Some specific administrative duties of the Collegium included: advising the Senate on religious matters, setting the dates of religious festivals, organizing and assisting the priesthood, and acting as the final arbiters of sacred law and religious disputes.

The Pontifex Maximus was appointed as the head of the Collegium Pontificum. During the Imperial period, the office of Pontifex Maximus was taken by the Emperor himself, thus allowing him to intervene in religious matters as he saw fit. The Pope continues to hold this title to the present day.

The Collegium Pontificum oversaw the Flamines and the Vestals, two important priestly organizations which came under the jurisdiction of the Pontiffs.

The Flamines were thirteen priests who served specific deities held to be of great importance to the city of Rome, such as the Flamen Dialis who oversaw the cult of Jupiter, the sky deity and ruler of the gods - although they were allowed to worship other deities as well. The term 'Flamen' translates as 'he who burns offerings'. The Flamines held public rites on the days sacred to their deity, and oversaw the general worship of that deity. They were identifiable by their distinctive leather scull-cap with the point of olive wood on top. The Flamines had a variety of taboos and restrictions placed on them due to the archaic origins of the priesthood, such as not being able to view any form of death and some of their order not being allowed to leave Rome for more than a single night.

Meanwhile, the Vestals were a priesthood of six women who guarded the Sacred Hearth of Rome. They oversaw the cult of Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth and Fire and they led public rites sacred to Vesta. The duties of the Vestals included maintaining the fire in the Sacred Hearth of Rome, and making Mola Salsa (sacred cakes made from spelt flour used in public rites).

The Vestals also guarded some sacred objects, including the Palladium (an ancient image of Pallas Athene said to have been rescued from Troy). In ancient Rome the Vestals were virgins and were led by the Chief Vestal.

Collegium Augurum (College of Augures)

Collegium Augurum (College of Augures)

They were nine priests who took auspices and created templa, or sacred spaces. The Collegium Augurium was the second rank of priestly colleges. The duties of the Augurs included taking auspices before military and political actions, consecrating the sites of temples and shrines, overseeing the laws of augury (ius augurium - the discipline or art of augury itself) and advising the Senate. The College of Pontiffs and the Pontifex Maximus did not have direct authority over them.

Septemviri Epulones

Septemviri Epulones

Seven priests who oversaw the organization of public religious feasts. The Epulones arranged the Epulum Iovis - (feast of Jupiter which was attended by the Senate and People, and presided over by the images of the Capitoline deities), as well as the public banquets at other festivals and games. The Epulones were one of the four major colleges of priests, and had sacred as well as organizational duties.

Quindecimviri Sacris Faciundis

Quindecimviri Sacris Faciundis

The last of the four major priestly colleges. They were fifteen priests who were in charge of the Sibylline Books, which the state had consulted for advice on important matters since Etruscan times.

In addition to the four major colleges above, there were a large number of other, lesser colleges and priesthoods directly supported by the state although we are only aware of a small number of them.

Sacerdotes (minor priesthoods)

Sacerdotes (minor priesthoods)

There were also a vast number of major and minor Roman deities throughout the Roman world that were served by 'lesser known' priests and priestesses. The Sacerdotes were the lesser 'everyday' priesthoods that tended the temples and shrines, maintained the worship of a deity and who assisted the local populace with their worship of that deity.

The major state priesthoods in the city of Rome itself, such as the Flamines and the Epulones would have had a number of Sacerdotes to support them in their duties.

The Sacerdotes formed the provincial priesthoods outside of the city of Rome itself and would have been responsible for the worship of both Roman and native deities in provinces including Britannia, Gallia, Germania, Hispania, Numidia and so on. As such, they served the religious needs of their local community.

The provincial Sacerdotes are the only priesthood type of real relevance to The Antonine Guard, as it is these priests who would have served the religious needs of the communities centred around the Antonine Wall and surounding areas.

Any priest attached to The Antonine Guard will therefore be a provincial Sacerdos.

While members of the senior colleges of the city of Rome were recognisable by particular forms of dress, such as the distinctive scull-cap worn by Flamines, this was not the case with the 'everyday' priests i.e. Sacerdotes, who made do with the toga, that being the formal dress of the Roman world. The only distinctive feature was that the toga was pulled up to cover the top of the head during solemn religious ceremonies. This was the usual observance on more formal occasions when people wished to show their respect for the gods, such as when preparing to perform a sacrifice, entering a temple, approaching a grave and so on. It was the use of the toga for religious ceremonies that would in time give rise to the distinctive garments worn to this day by Bishops and other members of the Clergy.