Epulones
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Priesthoods of |
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Major collegia
Pontifices · Augures · |
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Other collegia
or sodalitates Fetiales · Fratres Arvales · |
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Priests
Pontifex Maximus · Rex Sacrorum · |
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Priestesses
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Related topics
Religion in ancient Rome |
In ancient Roman religion, the Epulones formed a college of seven men, one of the four great religious corporations (quattuor amplissima collegia) of Roman priests, the two most important being the College of Pontiffs and the augurs, and the fourth the quindecemviri sacris faciundis. The Epulones arranged feasts and public banquets at festivals and games, duties that had originally belonged to the pontiffs.
Initially there were three epulones, but later their number was increased to seven. Julius Caesar temporarily expanded the college to ten, but after his death it was reduced again seven. Their college was founded in 196 BC, long after reforms had opened the magistracies and most priesthoods to plebeians, who were thus eligible from the beginning.[1] The necessity for such a college obviously arose as the increasingly elaborate festivals required experts to oversee their organization.[2]
The patera was the sacred bowl used by the septemviri epulonum. It was shallow with a raised center, so that when held in the palm, the thumb may be placed on the raised center without profaning the libation as it is poured into the focus, or sacred fire. The patera was the special emblem of the Epulones. The paten used today by Roman Catholic priests, omits the raised center.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Lacus Curtius website: Epulones from William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, John Murray, London, 1875.
- Roman Magistrates
- religio Romana: Patera
- Epulones
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