Ricerc@Sapienza

The meaning of the term fanum is uncertain. Livy (10.37.15), quoting Fabius Pictor, seems to use it as a synonym for templum. In this case, the lemma would pertain to the technical vocabulary of the augurs. This use contrasts, however, with that of Varro (Ling. 6.53-54) and Festus (78L.), who use fanum with the sense of "a place consecrated by a pontiff". This apparent discrepancy between the sources may perhaps be overcome by considering a variant of the Livian text, where the meaning of fanum is locus sacer. Thus, I discuss some literary, epigraphic, juridical and archaeological documents which seem to be better understood in the light of the definition of fanum as a place consecrated by a pontiff.