Definition: The number trium means 3, and triumviri means 3 men. The triumviri epulones (sometimes, simply epulones) were a college of priests selected to handle the duties of the ceremonial public feasts. The title means something like the three masters of the feasts. Unlike most of the other priesthoods, the triumviri epulones began during the Roman Republic, in 196, to celebrate the feast of Jupiter, epulum Jovis, taking over one of the functions of the pontifices. Their number increased to 7, and so they are also known as septemviri epulones or septemviri epulonum. The college of the triumviri epulones (collegium epulonum) were the 4th of the 4 great colleges of priests, along with the pontifices, the augures, and the duum (quindecem) viri sacris faciendis.
One result of the late origin of the priestly office of the master of the feast is that it was always open to plebeians, as well as patricians.
Source:
- William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D.: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, John Murray, London, 1875.
- Oskar Seyffert (1894) A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities
Also Known As: Septemviri Epulones, Septemviri Epulonum, Epulones
