office
Fetiales
the fetial priests
also: fetiales, Foederum, fetial priests
The Roman priestly college that ritualised the declaration of war and the making of treaties; Cicero's law makes them judges and messengers of treaties and the deciders of questions of war.
Reading notes
- On the Laws §2.21 the fetial priests
The college that ritualised the declaration of war and the making of treaties, demanding redress and casting a sacred spear into enemy territory. Cicero's law makes them the judges and messengers of treaties of peace, war, and truce.
- On Duties §1.36 fetial law
The fetiales were the priestly college that ritualized Rome's declarations of war and making of treaties, demanding restitution before hostilities could justly begin. Cicero makes their procedure the test of whether a war is just.
- On Duties §3.108 the entire law of heralds
The ius fetiale was the sacred law governing the fetial priests, who oversaw the rituals of declaring war and concluding treaties. It applied only between lawful enemies, not pirates - hence Regulus's oath bound him.