Abstract
Communication addressed to ‘gods’, ‘divine’ ancestors or ‘demons’, marked out as special by means of ritualisation and made memorable and repeatable by long-term sacralisation was a central element in Roman Republican political culture. This chapter focuses on several aspects, which will trace the processes of institutionalisation of priesthoods from the fifth century bce to the end of the Republic. These include: consideration of legislative regulations, implicit norms and recruitment strategies; and concentrating on sacerdotia publica, a discussion of the institutional form of the priestly within its social and cultural context. The systemic exclusion of patricians from the danger of losing their religious qualification contributes anew to the adscription of a special status right in the middle of the political elite. The instances of the enlarging of an existing college or the creation of new priesthoods is indicative of the dynamic and innovative field of religion and its dynamic positioning within Roman political culture.
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