Bidental

Priesthoods of ancient Rome
Flamen (250–260 AD)
Major colleges
Pontifices · Augures · Vestales Flamines · Septemviri epulonum Quindecimviri sacris faciundis
Other colleges or sodalities
Fetiales · Fratres Arvales · Salii Titii · Luperci · Sodales Augustales
Priests
Pontifex Maximus · Rex Sacrorum Flamen Dialis · Flamen Martialis Flamen Quirinalis Rex Nemorensis · Curio maximus
Priestesses
Virgo Vestalis Maxima Flaminica Dialis Regina sacrorum
Related topics
Religion in ancient Rome Imperial cult Glossary of ancient Roman religion Gallo-Roman religion

For the phonetics terms, see Bidental consonant.

For the mythological symbol, see Bident.

In ancient Roman religion, the bidentales were priests who performed rituals to mark out a place that had been struck by lightning as a sacred precinct (templum). Their primary role was to sacrifice a two-year-old sheep, in Latin bidens, meaning "having teeth (dentes) on each side." Such a place was thus called a bidental. It was not permitted to be walked over, and was enclosed with a wall, or palisade, with an altar erected over it. The Puteal Scribonianum was a bidental.

Source

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Bidental". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.