Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

POXTIFEX.

303

POXTIFEX.

was built by Aemilius Scaurus the censor.
—The Roman bridges without the city were
too many to be enumerated here. They
formed one of the chief embellishments in all
the public roads; and their frequent and

Portugal, and Spain, attest, even to the pre-
sent day, the scale of grandeur with which
the Roman works of national utility were
always carried on.—When the comitia were
held, the voters, in order to reach the en-

stupendous remains, still existing in Italy, I closure called septum and ovile, passed over a

Bridge at Ariminum,

wooden platform, elevated above the ground,
which was called pons siiffrayiorum, in order
that they might be able to give their votes
without confusion or collusion. [Comitia.]
Pons is also used to signify the platform
(cjri|3d9pa, a7ro(3d(?pa), used for embarking in,
or disembarking from, a ship.

POXTIFEX (tepoSLSdcr/caAos, tepov6/i.os, tepo-
{pu'Aaf, iepotpdpn;;). The origin of this word
is explained in various ways ; but it is pro-
bably formed from pons and facers (in the
signification of the Greek pe£ew, to perform
a sacrifice), and consequently signifies the
priests who offered sacrifices upon the bridge.
The ancient sacrifice to which the name thus

the number varied, though on the whole
fifteen appears to have been the regular
number. The mode of appointing the pontiffs
was also different at different times. It appears
that after their institution by Xuma, the
college had the right of co-optation, that is,
if a member of the college died (for all the
pontiffs held their office for life), the mem-
bers met and elected a successor, who, after
his election, was inaugurated by the augurs.
This election was sometimes called captio.
In B. c. 104 a Lex Domitia was passed, which
transferred the right of electing the mem-
bers of the great colleges of priests to the
people (probably in the comitia tributa) ;

alludes, is that of the Argei on the sacred or I that is, the people elected a candidate, who

sublician bridge. [Asoei.] The Roman pon-
tiffs formed the most illustrious among the
great colleges of priests. Their institution,
like that of all important matters of religion,
was ascribed to Xuma. The number of pon-
tiffs appointed by this king was four, and at

was then made a member of the college by
the co-optatio of the priests themselves, so
that the co-optatio, although still necessary,
became a mere matter of form. The Lex
Domitia was repealed by Sulla in a Lex
Cornelia de Sacerdotiis (b. c. 81), which re-

their head was the pontifex maximus, who is stored to the great priestly colleges their
generally not included when the number of ! full right of co-optatio. In b. c. 63 the law
pontiffs is mentioned. It is probable that j of Sulla was abolished, and the Domitian
the original number of four pontiffs (not in- law was restored, but not in its full extent;
eluding the pontifex maximus) had reference 1 for it was now determined, that in case of
to the two earliest tribes of the Romans, the j a vacancy the college itself should nominate
llamnes and Tities, so that each tribe was j two candidates, and the people elect one of
represented by two pontiffs. In the year j them. M. Antonius again restored the right
b.c. 300 the Ogulnian law raised the num- i of co-optatio to the college. The college of
ber of pontiffs to eight, or, including the ! pontiffs had the supreme superintendence of
pontifex maximus, to nine, and four of them all matters of religion, and of things and
were to be plebeians. The pontifex maximus, ; persons connected with public as well as
however, continued to be a patrician down private worship. They had the judicial de-
to the year b.c. 254, when Tib. Coruncanius , cision in all matters of religion, whether
was the first plebeian who was invested with i private persons, magistrates, or priests were
this dignity. This number of pontiffs re- i concerned, and in cases where the existing
mained for a long time unaltered, until in laws or customs were found defective or
b. c. 81 the dictator Sulla increased it to insufficient, they made new laws and regu-
fifteen, and J. Caesar to sixteen. In both lations (decreta pontificum), in which they
these changes the pontifex maximus is in- always followed their own judgment is to
eluded in the number. During the empire what was consistent with the existing eus-