- Latin:
- “bridge builder”,
- Plural:
- Pontifices
- Related Topics:
- Roman religion
- priesthood
- pontifex maximus
pontifex
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What was a pontifex in ancient Rome?
In ancient Rome, a pontifex was a member of a council of priests, or collegium, that was the most important Roman priesthood. The collegium was charged with administering the jus divinum, that part of civil law regulating the community's relations with deities recognized by the state.
The collegium existed during the monarchy, and under the republic, it rose to prominence under a pontifex maximus, or supreme priest, who took over the king’s duties as chief administrator of religious law. The pontifices controlled the religious system by the 3rd century BCE. The pontifex maximus was the head of the state clergy and was an elected official, not chosen from the existing pontifices.
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What roles did pontifices have in Roman religion?
In Roman religion, pontifices were members of a council of priests, forming the most important Roman priesthood. They administered the jus divinum, which regulated the community's relations with deities recognized by the state, and generally superintended the worship of families. The college of pontifices existed during the monarchy, but rose to prominence under the republic, led by a pontifex maximus, who took over the king’s duties as chief administrator of religious law.
The pontifex maximus held immense authority, advised by the other pontifices. Their roles included regulating expiatory ceremonials, consecrating temples, managing the calendar, overseeing burials, superintending marriages, and administering laws of adoption and testamentary succession. They also maintained state archives and records.
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What was the difference between a pontifex and the Pontifex Maximus?
In ancient Rome, a pontifex was a member of a council of priests, also known as the collegium. The collegium was the most important Roman priesthood, charged with administering the jus divinum, which is the civil law that regulated the relationships between the Roman community and their deities.
The Pontifex Maximus was the supreme priest and head of the state clergy. He took over the king's duties as chief administrator of religious law. The Pontifex Maximus was not chosen from the existing pontifices, but was an elected official. The other pontifices formed his consilium, or advising body.
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How were pontifices chosen or appointed in Rome?
The pontifices were members of the most important Roman priesthood, which administered religious law and oversaw the worship of families and clans. During the Roman Republic, the number of pontifices increased to 16 by the time of Julius Caesar. The college of pontifices also included the rex sacrorum, the flamines, assistant pontifices (minores), and the Vestal Virgins, all chosen by the pontifex maximus.
Initially, vacancies among the pontifices were filled through co-optation. However, from the Second Punic War onward, the pontifex maximus was chosen through a form of popular election, a practice that eventually extended to all members. All pontifices held office for life. The chief priest, the pontifex maximus, was an elected official and not chosen from the existing pontifices.
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What religious ceremonies or duties did pontifices oversee?
The pontifices in ancient Rome were members of a council of priests who oversaw the administration of the jus divinum, that part of civil law regulating the community's relations with deities recognized by the state. The pontifex maximus, or supreme priest, held immense authority, with other pontifices forming his advising body.
Their duties included:
* Regulating expiatory ceremonials
* Consecrating temples and sacred objects
* Regulating the calendar
* Administering laws regarding burials and the worship of dead ancestors
* Superintending marriages
* Administering laws of adoption and testamentary succession1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did the power and duties of the pontifices influence Roman society and politics?
The pontifices, members of the most important Roman priesthood, significantly influenced Roman society and politics through their administration of jus divinum, which regulated the community's relations with deities. Headed by the pontifex maximus, the college of pontifices regulated expiatory ceremonials, consecrated temples, managed the calendar, administered laws related to burials, and oversaw marriages and testamentary succession.
Holding office for life, the pontifices wielded immense authority, especially during the Republic's first three centuries, with the pontifex maximus potentially being the state's most powerful member. The office's dignity was highly coveted, demonstrated by Julius Caesar holding it for 20 years and Augustus subsequently making it inseparable from the emperor's role. Although their powers were more declaratory than executive, their functions were quasi-magisterial, giving them a powerful role in Roman governance.
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pontifex, member of a council of priests in ancient Rome. The college, or collegium, of the pontifices was the most important Roman priesthood, being especially charged with the administration of the jus divinum (i.e., that part of the civil law that regulated the relations of the community with the deities recognized by the state), together with a general superintendence of the worship of gens and family. Whether the literal meaning of the name indicates any special connection with the sacred bridge over the Tiber (Pons Sublicius) cannot now be determined.
The college existed under the monarchy, when its members were probably three in number; they may be considered as having been legal advisers of the rex in all matters of religion. Under the republic they emerge into prominence under a pontifex maximus, or supreme priest, who took over the king’s duties as chief administrator of religious law. During the republican period the number of pontifices increased until by the time of Julius Caesar there were 16. Included in the collegium were also the rex sacrorum, the flamines, three assistant pontifices (minores), and the Vestal Virgins, who were all chosen by the pontifex maximus. Vacancies in the body of pontifices were originally filled by co-optation; but from the second Punic War onward the pontifex maximus was chosen by a peculiar form of popular election, and in the last age of the republic this was true for all the members. They all held office for life.
The immense authority of the collegium centred in the pontifex maximus, the other pontifices forming his consilium, or advising body. His functions were partly sacrificial or ritualistic, but the real power lay in the administration of the jus divinum, the chief departments of which may briefly be described as follows: (1) the regulation of all expiatory ceremonials needed as the result of pestilence, lightning, etc.; (2) the consecration of all temples and other sacred places and objects dedicated to the gods by the state through its magistrates; (3) the regulation of the calendar both astronomically and in detailed application to the public life of the state; (4) the administration of the law relating to burials and burying places and the worship of the Manes, or dead ancestors; (5) the superintendence of all marriages by confarreatio (i.e., originally, of all legal patrician marriages); and (6) the administration of the law of adoption and of testamentary succession. They had also the care of the state archives and of the lists of magistrates and kept records of their own decisions (commentarii) and the chief events (annales).
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It is obvious that a priesthood with such functions and holding office for life must have been a great power in the state, and for the first three centuries of the republic it is probable that the pontifex maximus was in fact its most powerful member. The office might be combined with a magistracy, and, though its powers were declaratory rather than executive, it may be described as quasi-magisterial. Under the later republic it was coveted chiefly for the great dignity of the position; Julius Caesar held it for the last 20 years of his life, and Augustus took it after the death of Lepidus in 12 bc, after which it became inseparable from the office of the reigning emperor.
The title pontifex was used of Roman Catholic bishops and pontifex maximus of the pope by the end of the 4th century. In modern usage, both terms generally refer to the pope.