A prosopographical study of the collegium augurum in the Roman Republic: from the Ogulnian plebiscite to the lex Domitia

© 2015 Kimberley Terese WebbThe Augural College was one of the most important Roman religious institutions, and its members, the augures, were similarly endowed with this requisite amount of prestige. However, very few works have been devoted to these figures, as a group, and particularly in the context of their common priesthood. Cohesion between these men is often considered either definite or overlooked entirely from a religious perspective. This study intends to discuss aspects related to membership of the collegium, ranging from the process and mechanisms for co-optation, to commenting on the internal relationships between the augures themselves. The focal point of this research is the creation of a prosopographical catalogue of known augures in the Roman Republican period from the Ogulnian plebiscite to the lex Domitia, 300–104 BCE. This will be used to draw out key connections – or lack thereof – and make initial suggestions on the efficacy of the collegium augurum in light of its members at given points in time and taking into account the broader political and military situation