Chapter 10 Flashcards
The duoviri who hold office after the establishment of the colonia shall, within the first ten days of their office, bring for decision to the town councillors, in the presence of not fewer than two thirds of them, the question of which days and how many days shall be festal, which sacrifices shall be publicly performed and who shall perform them. Whatever shall have been decreed by the majority of those present at the meeting, that shall be lawful and valid, and those sacrifices and those festal days shall be observed in the said colonia.
ILS 6087 paras. 64-7; CIL II.5, 439, 64-7: The assumption is that the new city council, by simple majority vote, can set up whatever seems good to it in terms of state religion, apparently without first consulting priests or oracles. If prodigies indicated that the gods were not pleased with these institutions, the city would presumably then recalibrate with the necessary changes.
Religious business is high-priority and to be settled
immediately after the creation of the colonia. The religious calendar is created by the civil government of the city state, by majority decision. The festivals used in the parent city would likely be retained; resources would also be a consideration.
The People of Narbo dedicated (this altar) for the divine power of Augustus… by the laws written below.
Divine power of Caesar Augustus, father of the country, when to you on this day I shall give and dedicate this altar, by those laws and within those limits shall I give and dedicate it which I shall have declared here publicly to be the foundation of this altar and of its inscriptions: if anyone wishes to clean, refurbish or repair it - as a public service - that shall be a right and lawful act; or if anyone wishes to sacrifice an animal but does not expose the entrails, the sacrifice shall count as still properly performed; if anyone wishes to make a gift to this altar and to enrich it, that shall be permitted and the same law shall apply to the gift as to the altar; other laws for this altar and its inscriptions shall be the same as for the altar of Diana on the Aventine. By these laws and within these boundaries, as I have said, with respect to this altar for Imperator Caesar Augustus… I give and dedicate, that you may be favourable and propitious.
ILS 112; CIL XII. 4333: This seems to be during Augustus’ lifetime, when the worship of living human beings is relatively new- is referencing old traditional laws a way to give it traditional legitimacy? Altar is dedicated
with limits and in accordance with laws.
In the consulship of Lucius Aelius Caesar and of Publius Coleus Balbinus Vibullius Pius… Gaius Domitius Valens the duovir iure dicundo pronounced the law written below, with Gaius Julius Severus the pontifex dictating the words to him: Jupiter Optimus Maximus, when to you this day I shall give and dedicate this altar, in accordance with those laws and those limits that I shall here this day openly declare, in accordance with the lowest visible part of this altar; if anyone sacrifices here with a victim, albeit he has not exposed the entrails, the sacrifice shall still count as properly performed. Other laws for this altar shall be the same as the law pronounced for the altar of Diana on the Aventine Hill.
By these laws, within these limits, as I have declared them, I give, grant and dedicate this altar to you Jupiter Optimus Maximus, so that you may be favourable and propitious to me, my colleagues, to the town councilors, the citizens and other inhabitants of the Colonia Martia Julia Salona, and also to our wives and children.
ILS 4907; CIL III.1933: Very similar formulation to the previous in the laws of another altar (here to Jupiter) in another colonia. The duovir is a state official (the local equivalent to a consul in Rome), not specifically a priest.
