Rome - The Pontifices Flashcards
1
Q
Who were the Pontifices?
A
The most important college of priests in the Roman world
2
Q
What was the number most of the time?
A
Fifteen
3
Q
Who was the college headed by?
A
Pontifex Maximus, a post which was life long and so gave the holder great power over the college
4
Q
Who was the post held by after Augustus was elected in 13BC?
A
The emperor
5
Q
What does pontifex mean and how does it relate to priesthood?
A
It means bridge builder and may allude to the priests role as mediator between man and god
6
Q
What were the main roles of the pontifices?
A
- the production of temples
- regulation of burial
- inheritance laws
- supervision of the religious calendar
7
Q
What did control of the calendar give a priest?
A
Immense power of when things could happen in Rome
