A. Term and form
Responsa (lit.: 'responses', sing. responsum) were originally rulings or opinions of sacred law made by the Roman colleges of priests (theaugures, fetiales, haruspices and pontifices) [1. 19-21; 2. 313 f., 560-563]. According to Dig. 1,2,2,6, the pontifical college ( pontifex ; hence: responsa pontificum) issued preventative or cautelary responsa for the formulation and interpretation of legal transactions (cautio in the sense of a precaution) or suits (actio), and responsa for th…