Haruspex

A Haruspex (Latin, plural: haruspices ) was a member of an ancient Roman priests quorum.

His task was to predict from the entrails of slaughtered sacrificial animals, whether the gods approved of a proposed company or not.

Originally this type of sign interpretation as livers among the Etruscans was at home, but were official and name in a very early period adopted by the Romans, as in the Latin language nor the expression haru ( " guts " ) existed, but then Latin before the onset of literary certificates extinct. This was linked to "look " with the verbal root spec as the Augur ( Auspex, " bird rain "). Compared with the Auspex the Haruspex had the advantage that he was able to explore the divine will much faster.

The predictions of the haruspices had to be confirmed by the Senate. Also campaigns were accompanied by haruspices.