The dissemination of divination in roman republican times

Note: Although Pliny states that he has it from books on the Etruscan discipline, the format
with date, by the two consuls, and place fits the Roman prodigies. It may have come to Pliny
in a collection of responses by the haruspices as we also know from Cic.Har. This fits well
with the political commentaries in the interpretation of the prodigy. It is probably from the
work by C. Epidius mentioned in Plin.Nat.17.243, or a work on Etruscan divination by
Umbricius Melior mentioned in Plin.Nat.10.19.
Plin.Nat.8.221, Cic.Div.1.99
Mice had gnawed the shields of Mars Lanuvium
90 Obs.55
Dream of Caecilia Metella about Juno Sospita
Head was missing from consul’s sacrifice
Note: Rasmussen counts here four prodigies (Rasmussen 2003: 104). I have taken the first as
one prodigy and excluded the other because of reasons stated above under the year 154.
Plin. Nat.2.238
It looked as if the sea was on fire
Note: It resembles the prodigy mentioned in the year 126, also noted by Pliny (Plin.
Nat.2.203). The date stems from the mention that it occurred the year of the start of the social
war. MacBain also dates the omen from Plin. Nat.2.98 to this year (MacBain 1982: 101). It
is, however, unclear what prompted this dating.
88 Obs.56
Poppedius Silo held triumph in captured city
Omens to Mithridates
Note: Rasmussen counts these (Rasmussen 2003:105). They are however clearly omens and
are therefore not included here (see under the year 166)
87 Obs.56a, Plin. Nat.2.92
Sky fell down in the camp of Pompeius Roma
Pompeius (the consul of the prior year) killed Roma
Note: The last one is not taken as a prodigy. MacBain thinks that there are some prodigies in
Livy.Per.79 (MacBain 1982: 101). I have, however, not been able to identify such in that
passage. Neither has Rasmussen (Rasmussen 2003: 105).
Cic.N.D.2.14.
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