HaruspicesArticle Free Pass Haruspices, ancient Etruscan
diviners, “entrail observers” whose art consisted primarily in
deducing the will of the gods from the appearance presented by
the entrails of the sacrificial animal, especially the liver and
gallbladder of sheep. An Etruscan model liver from Piacenza
survived in the 21st century. Haruspices also interpreted all
portents or unusual phenomena of nature, especially thunder and
lightning and unusual or monstrous births, and they prescribed
the expiatory ceremonies after such events. This formed a most
complicated pseudoscience, in sharp contrast to native Roman
divination. The art was practiced in Rome by Etruscans, and,
although of great importance especially under the early
republic, it never became a part of the state religion. Under
the empire there existed a collegium of 60 Haruspices; however,
it was never a state priesthood but a body of salaried expert
advisers. Haruspices were still active at the time of the
Theodosian Code (5th century ad) and Joh