auguedumen

Auguedumen is a term that appears in ancient Roman religious contexts, specifically related to the practice of augury. Augury was a form of divination where priests, known as augurs, interpreted the will of the gods by observing the flight of birds and other natural phenomena. The word "auguedumen" itself is believed to be a compound of two Latin words: "avis," meaning bird, and "duim," possibly derived from "dare" or "donare," meaning to give. Therefore, "auguedumen" can be interpreted as "what the bird gives" or "the gift of the bird."

The auguedumen represented the specific signs or omens that were observed and interpreted by the augurs. These could include the direction of flight, the type of bird, the sounds it made, or even how it ate. The augurs would then use these interpretations to advise on public and private matters, such as whether a particular undertaking was favorable or should be postponed. The practice of augury, and by extension the interpretation of auguedumen, was an integral part of Roman religious and political life, influencing decisions from military campaigns to the founding of new cities. While the exact linguistic origins and precise application of "auguedumen" can be debated by scholars, its connection to the core principles of avian divination in Roman culture is widely accepted.