The Sibylline Books were a collection of ancient oracular texts that played a significant role in the religious and political life of ancient Rome.
The texts, written in Greek, were believed to contain prophecies and were attributed to the sibyls, who were prophetic women reputed to have divine inspiration.
The most famous of these sibyls was the Cumaean Sibyl, who was said to have offered nine books of prophecies to Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, in the 6th century BCE.
According to legend, the Sibyl initially offered nine books to Tarquinius Superbus at an exorbitant price. When he refused, she burned three and offered the remaining six at the same price. After he declined again, she burned three more and offered the last three at the original price.
Tarquinius Superbus then purchased these three remaining books, which were then stored in a sacred vault beneath the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. They were considered state treasures and guarded by a group of officials known as the Quindecimviri sacris faciundis.
The Sibylline Books were consulted in times of great crises or significant public events, such as famines, plagues, or invasions, under the Senate’s authority.
Only the Quindecimviri were permitted to interpret these oracles, and their interpretations often led to the introduction of new gods or religious practices into Rome, particularly from the Eastern Mediterranean.
The process significantly influenced the religious landscape of Rome, leading to the adoption of new deities and cults.
Over time, the original Sibylline Books were lost, reportedly destroyed in the fire of 83 BCE or in another fire in 405 CE.
However, efforts were made to replace them with new collections of prophecies, also known as the Sibylline Oracles. These later collections were distinct and often included Christian and Jewish prophecies, reflecting the changing religious dynamics of the Roman Empire.
