Religion et vie politique sous la République romaine. L’exemple de la divination publique

Abstract

As fellow citizens of the Romans, the gods had to be associated with decision-making concerning the city : this was the purpose of magistrates’ auspices and, more broadly, of augural divination. As eminently superior citizens, like powerful “patrons”, the gods had to be honored by their Roman “clients” : this was the purpose of sacrifices – which always implied an extispicin, a divinatory prerequisite indispensable to any civic commensality. Finally, because their power far exceeded that of mere mortals, the gods of Rome could also express their anger at the occasion of prodigies : by seeking to restore harmonious relations between the Romans and their divine fellow citizens (pax deum), the expiation of prodigies participated at the same time in strengthening political stability and reaffirming Roman identity and civic cohesion.

Keywords

• Roman Republic
• divination
• auspices
• extispicin
• prodigies