The Titii (or Titii sodales, later Titienses, Sacerdotes Titiales Flaviales) was a college (sodalitas) of
Roman priests.[1]
Origins
There are two versions of how the college was established. One credits
Titus Tatius with creating the college to superintend and preserve the Titienses, one of the three original tribes (
tribus) in the
Regal period,[2] which may have represented the
Italic tribe of
Sabines.[3][4] The other says that
Romulus created it in honour of king Tatius, who after his death was worshipped as a god.[5]
History
During the
Republic the Titii are no longer mentioned,[6] as the
cults of all Italic tribes became gradually united into Roman religion.[7] The Titii were restored under the
Empire,[8][9] but their functions were changed to conduct the worship of an
emperor, like those of
Sodales Augustales. Augustus may have been a member of the Titii.[10][11]