Sortes (ancient Rome)  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search  Sortes (Latin singular: sors) were
a frequent method of divination among the ancient Romans.[1] The
method involved the drawing of lots (sortes) to obtain knowledge
of future events: in many of the ancient Italian temples the
will of the gods was consulted in this way, as at Praeneste and
Caere.[2]  These sortes or lots were usually little tablets or
counters, made of wood or other materials, and were commonly
thrown into a sitella or urn, filled with water. The lots were
sometimes thrown like dice.[3] The name of "sortes" was in fact
given to anything used to determine chances,[4] and was also
applied to any verbal response of an oracle.[5]  Various things
were written upon the lots according to circumstances, as for
instance the names of the persons using them. It seems to have
been a favorite practice in later times to write the verses of
illustrious poets upon little tablets, and to draw them out of
the urn like othe