Auspices et autres pratiques divinatoires des magistrats romains à l’époque médio-républicaine

Abstract

According the description of the Second Punic war by Livy the procedure of the auspicium outside Rome changes. A certain “standardization” of the ritual takes place. The auspicia are now taken auium gustu rather than auium gestu. Moreover the obligation to return to Rome to retake the auspicia in case of difficulties progressively made the conducting of war difficult if not dangerous. So the commanders used a piece of land in their prouincia to renew the auspicia.