Augur

An augur was a special priest in the ancient classical Roman world. Their job was to practice augury. This means they tried to learn what the gods wanted by watching events in a sacred space called a templum. This space looked like a similar space in the sky.

An augur would watch and listen inside the templum for signs. These signs could be things like thunder, lightning, or even accidents, such as objects falling. But most importantly, they watched birds. They noticed how the birds flew, the sounds they made, which way they went, what kinds of birds they were, how many, and how they ate.

Sometimes it was hard to see wild birds or wait for weather signs. So, people kept chickens for this purpose. These chickens would be let into the templum, and the augur would watch how they behaved, especially when they ate.

The work of augurs was very important in Roman life. Before making big decisions—like going to war, starting a business, or handling religious matters—people would ask an augur for help. They wanted to know if the decision would bring peace, good luck, and well-being to Rome.

Etymology

Ancient writers believed the word "augur" came from the Latin words avis and gerō, meaning "directing the birds". However, experts say it really comes from the root augeō, which means "to increase" or "to prosper".

History and public role

In ancient Rome, people would check signs from the gods before starting important actions like wars, politics, or daily life. Special priests called augurs did this work. They looked at events in a sacred space to understand what the gods wanted.

At first, there were only a few augurs, but their numbers grew over time. Being an augur was an important job, and only certain people could become one. Later, more people were allowed to join. Even though augurs did not have much political power during the time of the Roman Empire, they were still respected and important.

Augurs, auguria, and auspices

In ancient Rome, augurs were special priests. They tried to learn what the gods wanted by watching signs in nature. They looked at birds, the sky, and other events. This helped them decide if it was a good time for important actions, like choosing a new leader or starting a big project. If they heard thunder, they might stop what they were doing.

People believed the gods gave clear signs, like birds flying in certain ways or lightning. These signs helped leaders know if they had the gods’ support. The augurs had special rituals and rules when they looked for these signs. They made sure everything was done just right.

Attus Navius

In ancient Rome, people watched the sky and birds to learn what the gods wanted. This was called augury. One famous person who did this was Attus Navius.

Attus Navius came from a poor family. Once, he lost one of his pigs. He promised the gods that if he found it, he would give them the biggest grapes from his vineyard. After finding his pig, he stood in his vineyard, split the sky into four parts, and watched for birds. When birds appeared, he went in that direction and found a very large grape. He offered it to the gods.

His story became well-known, and he became an important helper for the king in understanding what the gods wanted. People remembered him as a special helper for understanding the will of the gods.