Learn about itLearn onlyHistorical practice
This page describes the practice. There is deliberately no automated reading for it — see the notes below.
Background
Augury was the Roman religious practice of observing birds to receive omens, performed by priests called augurs within a marked sacred space (templum). Greek ornithomancy was its equivalent; augurs sometimes fabricated unfavourable signs to delay political business.
How it works
The augur watched which birds appeared, how many, the direction of flight and their calls, and judged the auspices favourable or not.
Notes and limits
Safety: Observe wild birds only from a distance; never capture, feed for divination or disturb them.
At a glance
- Also called
- Ornithomancy, Auspices, Auspicy, Roman augury
- Traditions
- Ancient Roman, Ancient Greek
- Regions
- Ancient Mediterranean
- You need
- Nothing
- Price
- Free