| The priesthoods of the state religion were filled from the same social pool of men who held public office, and in the Imperial era, the Pontifex Maximus was the emperor. |
| A libertinus was not entitled to hold public office or the highest state priesthoods, but he could play a priestly role in the cult of the emperor. |
| The priesthoods of public religion were held by members of the elite classes. |
| Priesthoods and other magistracies were an important source of regular civic revenue, because of the summae honorariae that the incumbents had to pay their city. |
