[German version]

The collegium of the 'fifteen men for the performance of sacred rites', one of the three (Varro in Aug. Civ. 6,3; Cic. Har. resp. 18; Nat. D. 3,5; Leg. 2,20) or four (Cass. Dio 53,1,5) great Roman priesthoods, along with the pontifices , the augures and the septemviri epulonum , the last of which counted among them from the Augustan period, was said by tradition to have been founded by Tarquinius Superbus as the duoviri sacris faciundis (i.e. consisting of two members Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 4,62; Serv. Aen. 6,73). Its membership was raised to 10 decemviri (five patricians and …