PONTIPEX ( Lat., probably from palm, bridge + faccre, to make). The title borne by the members of one of the four great priestly colleges among the Romans. The other three were the collegia augur•urx ( see AUGURIES ) , XV. , rirorunt sacris faciandis, and LH. rirorum cpulo num. The last two were of younger origin, as the former (at first of two, then ten, and after Sulla of fifteen members) was instituted to have charge of the Sibylline books and the oversight of the foreign cults, classed as Grimm rites, while the latter (of three, seven, and ten members) relieved the pontifices of their duties in connection with the sacrificial banquets of the Roman and plebeian games. The collegium pou tilicunt in its widest and technical meaning in eluded several elements. Besides the rex sacr•o r•um, who had succeeded to the priestly duties of the King. the flamines (see FLA MENS ) , and the six vestal virgins. there were the pontifiees, properly so called, whose number increased from three to six, nine, fifteen and sixteen. At their head was the pontifex maxim us. This college was the guardian of all the ceremonial attend ing the worship of the ancient Roman gods (pa tries rites). It had charge of the calendar; its members alone possessed the prayers and rites needed for the proper performance of religions ceremonies: they were consulted as to the neces sary rites which the appearance of prodigies might require from the State or individuals, and by their replies established a large body of law affecting religious observances and duties, based upon the mass of precedent with which they were familiar. From their number the pontifex maximus was elected, after me. 212 and perhaps , earlier, by an assembly of seventeen tribes chosen by lot. He was, as it were, the legal embodiment of the collective body of pontifices, and possessed over the other members of the great college an authority which preserves plain traces of orig inal absolutism. Tile pontifices filled vacancies
by their own vote, but the rex and flamines were appointed, even against their will, by the pontifex niaximus, though in later times his choice was limited by a list of nominations. The vestals also were originally chosen by him, though later, the lot decided from twenty names of his choos ing. lie had the power to fine his colleagues, and even to remove the rex and flamines. To the vestals he stood in the position of a father, and could use corporal punishment, though the death penalty for unchastity could only he inflicted by the college. In the time of the Empire this office regularly belonged to the prince, and a pronto gister was named to preside over the college. The pontifices are among the oldest Roman officials, evidently belonging to the regal period, as a council of the monarch. Their importance is shown by the fact that with the augurs they are the only priests regularly provided for the col onies. Originally all the pontifices were patri cians, but in n.c. 300 the Lex Ggulnia provided that five of the nine pontifices and of the nine augurs should be plebeians. Later, when the numbers were increased, the majority seem to have been drawn from patrician families. Even with the growth of Christianity the pontifices and vestals continued to exist, though the Em peror Gratian resigned the title of poutifex maxi mus, and it was not till the end of the fourth century that the edicts of Theodosius put an end to the forms of the old Roman religion. Con sult: Mommsen, Reimiselics Staatsrecht (Leip zig. 1887-S8); Marquardt, Romische Staatsver :cattail!" (2d ell., ib.. 1SS4) ; Bouche-Leelercq, Les pontifes de Paneienne Rome (Paris. 1S71) ; Bardt. Die I'riester der vier grossca Collegian (Berlin, 1871); 'Libel, De Pontificam Roman Orlim jade ab Augusto unite ad Aurelianum Condicione Publica (Breslau, 18SS) ; Wissowa, Religion and Knit us der Romer (Munich, 1902).