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Introduction
7
associationsofcultoresdidindeedhaveclearlyreligiousfunctions.4Tis
studyisanattempttomoveculticcollegiaoutoftheshadowofMommsen)s
funeralassociationsandtorestorethemtotheroleofanindependent
subjectofresearch,whichwillenablescholarstoanswerquestionsabout
theirorganisationandsocialcomposition,andmostimportantlytoreveal
theirmulti-functionalcharacter.
Itseemsthatthelattercharacteristicdeterminedthepopularityof
variousculticassociationsintheRomanworld.Burialallowances,ban-
quetsanddistributionsontheonehand,andthesenseofbelongingto
aprestigioussocialgroup,aswellastheopportunitytopursueCpolitical)
careerandtoparticipateinthecity)spubliclifeontheotherhand,meant
thatrepresentativesofvarioussocialclassescouldbefoundamongcul-
toresdeorum.However,thebroadspectrumoftasksandfunctionstaken
onbyculticassociationsmeansthatitisverydimculttodrawtheline
distinguishingthemfromtheothertypesofancientcorporations.For-
tunately,thisdistinguishinglineisaproblemmainlyformodernhisto-
riography,aimingtoorganiseandsystematisethecomplex,sometimes
seeminglychaotic,Romanhistoricalreality.Religiousassociationsarean
excellentexampleofaphenomenonwhichisdimculttocontaininthe
restrictingframeworkofoneofthemodelsdescribingilfenomenoasso-
ciativonelmondoromano.5Groupsofworshippersofonedeityoranother
functionedatalllevelsofthesocialstructure-fromthefamily,neighbour
andprofessionalgroups,tothecivitas.Manyofthemtooktheformof
corporations.Tesegroupsarethesubjectofmystudies,regardlessofthe
doubtswhichsometimesappearwhentryingtoclassifythem.However,
unlikeMommsenandhissuccessors,Iamlessinterestedintheiusthanin
theforma,i.e.theorganisationandoperationofcollegesunitingcultores
deorum.Tojustifysuchachoiceofresearchpriorities,itisworthrecalling
theargumentsMommsenusedover150yearsagowhenheexplainedwhy
histreatisefocusedonlegalmatters.Firstly,heconcludedthatRoman
corporationsweretoocomplexaphenomenontobethesubjectofjust
onestudy.6Secondly,theGermanhistoriannotedthatthecolleges)opera-
4Perry2006,40.
5TephraseisborrowedfromthetitleofF.DeRobertis)work(1981).
6Mommsen1843,128:CEaenimnaturaestreisodaliciariae,utperpetuaminter-
pretationemvixrecipiat;itaradicesegitintotamremRomanam)
.Mommsen)sasser-
