augur, in ancient Rome, one of the members of a religious college whose duty it was to observe and interpret the signs (auspices) of approval or disapproval sent by the gods in reference to any proposed undertaking. The augures were originally called auspices, but, while auspex fell into disuse and was replaced by augur, auspicium was retained as the term for the observation of signs.
The early history of the college is obscure. Its institution has been attributed to Romulus or Numa Pompilius. It probably consisted originally of three members, of whom the king himself was one. This number was doubled by Tarquin, but in 300 bce the college had only four members, two places, according to Livy, being vacant. The Ogulnian law in the same year increased the number to nine, five plebeians being added to the four patrician members. In the time of Sulla the number was 15, which was increased to 16 by Julius Caesar. This number continued in imperial times, and the college itself was certainly in existence as late as the 4th century ce.
The office of augur, which was bestowed only upon persons of distinguished merit and was much sought after by reason of its political importance, was held for life. Vacancies were originally filled by co-optation, but by the Domitian law (104 bce), selection was made by the tribes. The insignia of office were the lituus, a staff free from knots and bent at the top, and the trabea, a kind of toga with bright scarlet stripes and a purple border.
Signs of the will of the gods were of two kinds, either in answer to a request (auspicia impetrativa) or incidental (auspicia oblativa). Such signs included thunder and lightning, the behaviour of birds (the direction of their flight, their singing, their feeding habits), other animal behaviour, and virtually any other unusual phenomena. Among the other means of discovering the will of the gods were the casting of lots, Sibylline oracles, and, more commonly, the examination of the entrails of animals slain for sacrifice. Anything abnormal found there was brought under the notice of the augurs, but usually the Etruscan Haruspices were employed for this. Augurs were consulted for the election of magistrates, their entering an office, the holding of a public assembly to pass decrees, and the setting out of an army for war. Auspices could be taken only in Rome itself; in case of a commander’s having to renew his auspices, he must either return to Rome or select a spot in the foreign country to represent the hearth of that city. The time for observing auspices was, as a rule, between midnight and dawn of the day fixed for any proposed undertaking.
The founding of colonies, the beginning of a battle, the calling together of an army, sittings of the Senate, and decisions of peace or war frequently were occasions for taking auspices. The place where the ceremony was performed was not fixed but selected with a view to the matter in hand. A spot being selected, the official charged to make the observation pitched his tent there several days before. A matter postponed through adverse signs from the gods could on the following or some future day be again brought forward for the auspices. If an error occurred in the auspices, the augurs could, of their own accord or at the request of the Senate, inform themselves of the circumstances and advise upon it. A consul could refuse to accept their advice while he remained in office, but on retiring he could be prosecuted. A magistrate was not bound to take notice of signs reported merely by a private person, but he could not overlook such a report from a brother magistrate. For example, if a quaestor on his entry to office observed lightning and announced it to the consul, the latter must delay the public assembly for the day.