1 Earliest Rome

8.2c The election of priests in the late Republic
Brutus in Cicero, Letters to Brutus 1.7
M. Brutus to M. Cicero, greetings:
8.2 Priests and politics
From 104 B.C. priests of the four major colleges {pontifices, augures, decemviri
sacris faciundis, tresviri epulonum — later quindecimviri and septemviri) were
chosen by popular election. The earlier practice (temporarily revived between
80 and 63 B.C.) had been that the priests themselves simply co-opted men to
fill any vacancies in their college. Priestly elections in the late Republic were
often eagerly contested among the Roman elite - in much the same way as
strictly political' elections. In this letter (written in 43 B.C.) Marcus Brutus
urges Cicero (who was an augur) to nominate his step-son, Lucius Bibulus, in
the first stage of election to the college of augures. The arguments used are practically
indistinguishable from those in letters of political' recommendation.
See further: Vol. 1, 134-7; Linderski (1972) 191-2; North (1990b)*.
No one can judge better than you the great esteem in which I should hold L. Bibulus;
for you have experienced such struggles and anxieties for our country's sake. In fact either
his own merits or his connections with me ought to incline you towards him. All the
more reason, I think, for my not writing at length - as my favour ought to carry weight
with you, so long as it is reasonable or undertaken as a duty of friendship. He has decided
to become a candidate for Pansa's place. 1
I am begging you to nominate him. You cannot
do a favour to any friend closer than I am to you, nor can you nominate a candidate
worthier than Bibulus.
(7.2) As for Domitius and Apuleius, what concern is it of mine to write, since they are
highly recommended to you through their own actions? 2
You are certainly under an
obligation to use your influence to support Apuleius. But Apuleius will have a letter of
recommendation all to himself. As for Bibulus, do not dismiss him from your affections
- a fine man already, and he may turn out (believe me) to be one who can live up to the
praises of the select few like yourself.
1. The vacancy in the college or augures was created by rhe death of the consul Vibius
Pansa.
2. There were other vacancies in the college for which these two men were wanting to
stand.
8.2d The choice of the 'flamen Dialis209 B. C.
Some Roman priesthoods were never subject to any process of popular election.
The priest of Jupiter {flamen Dialis) was always chosen by the pontifex
maximus-even sometimes against the will of the nominee himself. The office
was often unpopular because the rules and restrictions associated with the
priesthood (see 8.1b) made a simultaneous, active political career almost
impossible. In this passage Livy describes the selection of Gaius Valerius
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