fetialis Latin · revision 36998

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=116–27 BC, Varro|origins=ine-pro *dʰeh₁-ti-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [feː.tiˈaː.lɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [fet.t͡siˈaː.lis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fētiālis''' ''m'' (genitive fētiālis); third declension^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)

+ As an adjective: '''fētiālis''' (neuter fētiāle); third-declension two-termination adjective.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)

+ Manuscripts often spell it ''faet-''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*fēti-āli-]], a noun use of an adjective meaning “of the (religious) congregation”, formed with [[m|la|-ālis]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its base [[m|itc-pro|*fētis]] goes back to [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-ti-|t=the putting, making]], a noun of [[m|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to put]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains the sense as a development from “placement” to “prescription, law” and then to “body of priests”;^(de Vaan 2008) the OLD, more cautiously, sees “ordinance” in it.^(OLD 2012) Cognate with [[grc|θέσις|tr=thésis|t=setting, position]], [[lt|dė́tis|t=load]], [[non|dáð|t=deed]] and [[goh|tāt|t=deed]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Varro connected the fetials with [[m|la|fidēs#1|t=faith]], because they watched over public good faith between peoples, in his work on the Latin language (5.86).^(Varro)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Varro,^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler from Cicero;^(Köbler 2010) in the laws of Cicero's ''De legibus'' the fetials are to be the judges of treaties, peace and war (''foederum pacis, belli … fetiales iudices sunto'').^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The fetials were a college of twenty priests who represented the Roman people in its dealings with other nations: they made treaties and truces sacred, demanded redress from peoples who had wronged Rome, and declared a war just only when redress was refused.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Those sent out as envoys were called ''fetiales legati'', and in the singular Livy writes ''legatus fetialis''.^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ As an adjective it qualifies their law (''ius fetiale'', Cicero),^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) their ceremonies (''caerimoniae'', Livy)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) and, in Arnobius, their rights (''iura'').^(Georges 1913) Apuleius also uses the adjective.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it and explains the name.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Varro)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero writes of the ''ius fetiale''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy writes of fetial envoys and ceremonies.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 297–310 AD – Arnobius speaks of the ''iura fetialia''.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|fetial]], one of a college of Roman [[m|en|priest|alt=priests]] who acted for the Roman people in its dealings with other nations, in [[m|en|treaty|alt=treaties]], demands for redress and declarations of war.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of the fetials or their functions: ''iūs fētiāle'', the fetial law;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''lēgātus fētiālis'', a fetial envoy.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|fetial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}