|
186 BCE |
None of them shall seek to have a Bacchic shrine. But if there are some who say it is essential for them to have a Bacchic shrine, they should appear before the urban praetor in Rome, and the Senate, when it has heard their case, should pass a decree on this matter, so long as not less than one hundred senators are present when the matter is considered. No man, be he Roman citizen, of Latin status, or one of the allies, shall seek to be present among the Bacchants, unless presented to the urban praetor and he gives permission with a senatorial decree, so long as not less than one hundred senators are present when the matter is considered. Decided. No man shall be a priest. No man nor woman shall be a master. None of them shall seek to have money in common. No one shall seek to appoint either man or woman as master or acting master, or seek henceforth to exchange mutual oaths, vows, pledges, or promises, nor shall anyone seek to create mutual guarantees. No one shall seek to perform rites in secret, nor shall anyone seek to perform rites in public or private or outside the city; unless he has approached the urban praetor and is given permission with a senatorial decree, so long as no less than one hundred sendators are present when the matter is considered. Decided. No one shall seek to perform rites when more than five men and women are gathered together; nor shall more than two men or more than three women seek to be present there, except by permission of the urban praetor and the senate as recorded above.
|
Translation from M. Beard, J. North, S. Price, ed. Religions of Rome. Vol. 2: A Sourcebook (Cambridge 1998) 290-91. |