Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What responsibilities did the priestly college have for the Sibylline Books?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Tacitus
Tacitus, statue at the Parliament building in Vienna.
The priestly college responsible for the Sibylline Books was the quindecimviri sacris faciundis (the "Board of Fifteen," which originally consisted of ten members).1
Their primary responsibility was to look after foreign rites and oversee the consultation of the books. These prophetic texts were kept in the temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill and were consulted by the state only during times of emergency or crisis. The books provided prescriptions for religious actions, such as the introduction of new cults, to help the state navigate these difficult periods. Following the destruction of the original collection in 83 BCE, the college was tasked with assembling a replacement collection from various sources.123