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Historical facts about the Pontifices in this period; a powerful
exclusive "collegium" taking charge of the ius divinum. The
legal side of their work; they administered the oldest rules of
law, which belonged to that ius. New ideas of law after
Etruscan period; increasing social complexity and its effect on
legal matters; result, publication of rules of law, civil and
religious, in XII. Tables, and abolition of legal monopoly of
Pontifices. But they keep control of (1) procedure, (2) interpretation,
till end of fourth century b.c. Publication of Fasti
and Legis actiones; the college opened to Plebeians. Work of
Pontifices in third century: (1) admission of new deities, (2)
compilation of annals, (3) collection of religious formulae.
General result; formalisation of religion; and secularisation of
pontifical influence
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