Prodigium
The Latin term for an unnatural or, at any rate, unusual and inexplicable phenomenon, which
was always treated as requiring expiation (
procuratio). This was only
done on behalf of the State, if the phenomenon had been observed on ground belonging to the
State. The Senate, acting on the advice of the pontiffs, ordained either particular
sacrifices, to specified deities, or a nine days' sacrifice, or a public intercession, and
left the execution of the ordinance to the consuls (
Livy, i. 20).
If a prodigium caused so much alarm that the usual means of expiation seemed insufficient, the
Senate had recourse to the Sibylline Books, or the Etruscan
haruspices.
(See
Haruspex; Sibylla.) For the prodigium of a
thunderbolt, see
Puteal; and in general see
Müller,
Die Etrusker, ii. 191; Hartung,
Die Religion der
Römer, i. 96; BouchéLeclercq,
Hist. de la
Divination, p. 181; and Mommsen,
Staatsverwaltung, 2d ed. iii. pp.
259-264.
