Editing Rex Sacrorum (section)

==Description==
During the [[Roman Republic]], the ''rex sacrorum'' was chosen by the ''pontifex maximus'' from a list of patricians submitted by the [[College of Pontiffs]].<ref>[[Arnaldo Momigliano]], "The Origins of the Roman Republic", in ''Quinto contributo alla storia degli studi classici e del mondo antico'' (Edizioni di storia e letteratura, 1975), vol. 1, p. 311, citing [[Livy]] 40.42 and [[Dionysius Halicarnassus]] 5.1.4.</ref> A further requirement was that he be born from parents married through the ritual of ''[[confarreatio]]'', which was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter.<ref>Kurt A. Raaflaub, ''Social Struggles in Archaic Rome: New Perspectives on the Conflict of the Orders'' (Blackwell 2005, originally published 1986), p. 223 [https://books.google.com/books?id=pPQEZj9iQNcC&dq=%22rex+sacrorum%22&pg=PA223 online.]</ref> His wife, the ''regina sacrorum'', also performed religious duties specific to her role.<ref>Rüpke, ''Religion of the Romans'', p. 223.</ref> Marriage was thus such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the ''regina'' died, the ''rex'' had to resign.<ref>Although scholars agree that this applied to the ''rex sacrorum'', the requirement that the priest resign if his wife should die is better documented for the [[Flamen Dialis]].</ref> The ''rex sacrorum'' was above the ''pontifex maximus'', although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The ''rex sacrorum'' wore a [[toga]], the undecorated soft "shoeboot" ''([[calceus]])'', and carried a ceremonial axe; as a priest of archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed ''[[capite velato]]'', with head covered.<ref>[[Norma Goldman]], "Roman Footwear" and "Reconstructing Roman Clothing", in ''The World of Roman Costume'' (University of Wisconsin Press, 1994), pp. 125 and 216 [https://books.google.com/books?id=GxGPLju4KEkC&dq=%22rex+sacrorum%22&pg=PA216 online.]</ref> The ''rex'' held a sacrifice on the [[Kalends]] of each month. On the [[Nones (calendar)|Nones]], he announced the dates of [[Roman festivals|festivals]] for the month. On March 24 and May 24, he held a sacrifice in the [[Comitium]].<ref>[[Mary Beard (classicist)|Mary Beard]], J.A. North, and S.R.F. Price, ''Religions of Rome: A History'' (Cambridge University Press, 1998), p. 56.</ref> In addition to these duties the ''rex sacrorum'' seems to have functioned as the high priest of [[Janus]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Le Glay, Marcel.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/760889060|title=A history of Rome|date=2009|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-8327-7|oclc=760889060}}</ref>

The ''rex sacrorum'' was a feature of [[Ancient peoples of Italy|Italic]] religion and possibly also [[Etruscan religion|Etruscan]]. The title is found in [[Latium|Latin cities]] such as [[Lanuvium]], [[Tusculum]], and [[Velitrae]]. At Rome the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized;<ref>See for instance Livy 2.2.1.</ref> the ''rex sacrorum'' was not elected, and his inauguration was merely witnessed by a ''[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#comitia calata|comitia calata]]'', an assembly called for the purpose. Like the ''[[flamen Dialis]]'' but in contrast to the pontiffs and [[augur]]s, the ''rex'' was barred from a political and military career. After the overthrow of the [[kings of Rome]], the office of ''rex sacrorum'' fulfilled at least some of the [[Sacred kingship|sacral duties of kingship]], with the [[Roman consul|consuls]] assuming political power and military command, as well as some sacral functions. It is a matter of scholarly debate as to whether the ''rex sacrorum'' was a "decayed king" and it's discussed if this figure was created during the formation of the Republic, as [[Arnaldo Momigliano]] argued, or had existed in the [[Kingdom of Rome|Regal]] period.<ref>Tim Cornell, ''The Beginning of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars'' (Routledge, 1995), pp. 234–235 [https://books.google.com/books?id=EAEOAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22rex+sacrorum%22&pg=PA234 online]; Momigliano, "The Origins of the Roman Republic", pp. 311–312 [https://books.google.com/books?id=VC2WfwHDdOsC&dq=%22rex+sacrorum%22&pg=PA311 online.]</ref>