THE ROMAN COLLEGIA.
42
The following were their general characteristics
\> The collegium (or soae^os), which corresponded with the hoxpla"- of the Greeks, was comThe term originally expressed the notion of several
posed of colUgoe- or sodalm (companions).
bound together for some common office or purpose, but ultimately
persons being voluntarily
:
II.
came
to signify a
A
2.
body of persons and the
lawfully constituted
distinction
is
"college"
tie
was legitimum,
Some
not clearly laid down.
uniting them.
— an
unlawful one,
The
illicihtm.
of these institutions were establislied
by
especial
of individuals under the
laws, and others, no doubt, were formed by the voluntary association
provisions of
3.
that
some general
legal authority.
So indispensable was this rule
of less than three members.
college could consist
"
"
three make a coUege
became a maxim of the
expression tres faciunt collegium
No
tlie
—
—
civil law.
In
4.
its
constitution the college
and a hundred men
;
and
it
was divided
—bodies of ten
and by decuriones— a master and
into decuricc
was presided over by a magister
and
centurice
wardens.
other officers there were a treasurer, sub-treasurer, secretary, and archivist.
5.
Amongst
6.
In their corporate capacity the sodales could hold property.
They had a common
chest,
a common cult, a meeting-house, and a common table.
^
7. To each candidate on his admission was administered an oath
peculiar to the college.
When a new member was received, he was said co-optari, and the old members were
—
said,
respect to him, recipere in collegium*
with
8.
9.
Dues and subscriptions were imposed to meet the expenses of the college.
The sodales supported theii- poor, and buried their deceased brethren. The
publicly interred in a
Members were not
common
latter
were
sepulchre or cohcmbarium, all the survivors being present.
but the property of the college itself
could sue or be sued by their syndicus or actor.
They
10. Each college celebrated its natal day
a day called carce cognationis and two other
liable for the debts of their college,
could be seized.
days, called severally dies
11.
Mr
The
—
—
violarum and
sodales called
dies rosce}
and regarded themselves as frafres.^ "For amongst them," says
bond of relationship which, though artificial, was that close
Coote, "existed the dear
alliance
which a common sentiment can make.
This
it
was which,
in defiance of blood, they
camp, although they might he memhers of such associations ; nor could any individual belong to more than one college,
that is to say, a dual membership was regarded with disfavour by the Roman Law.
In early times, English Freemasons
were restricted to one lodge, and this
is still the rule in Germany and iu the Unit ed States of America.
Numbered for facility of reference.
'
The Jurisconsult Gaius says: "Associates (Sodales) are those who belong to the same college, which in Greek is
called eraipla.
The law gives to them the power of making a pact with one another, provided that they do nothing
'
But
contrary to public policy.
this seems to be a law of Solon's
"
(Dig. 47,
tit.
22).
'
and those forms of worshipping
Peculiar religious rites were also practised, perhaps with a veil of secrecy
constituted an additional bond of union (Palgi-ave, Rise and Progress of the English Commonwealth, vol. i., p. 332).
;
*
The
fanciful ingenuity of
Masonic etymologists has connected these expressions with the Greek
iTrdirrai,
or
initiated.
'
"On
these two days of charming nomenclature, the sodales
commemorate
spirit of the
^
Coote,
their loss,
manes
and
"
(Coote,
The Romans
to
deck their tombs
The Romans
witli violets
and
met
at the sepulchres of their departed brethren to
roses
— an
offering
(if
not a
sacrifice) pleasing to the
in Britain, p. 388).
in Britain, p. 389.
Tbefratres Arvales, upon whose existence
Mr
Coote bases his contention