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===Ritual===
Magistrates endowed by the law with the right of ''spectio'' (observation of auspices) would establish the requested ''auspicium'' (observation platform) before taking the ''[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#auspicia impetrativa|auspicia impetrativa]]'' ("requested" or "sought" auspices; see above). The ''templum'', or sacred space within which the operation would take place had to be established and delimited (it should be square and have only one entrance)<ref>Maurus Servius Honoratus, ''In Vergilii Aeneidem commentarii'', 3.89</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=U. Norden |title=Aus Altroemischer Priestenbuchen |chapter=Die Spruchformel des Augur auf dem Burg |year=1939 |pages=3–106}}</ref> and purified ([[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#effatio|''effari'']], [[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#liberatio|''liberare'']]).<ref>Varro, ''Lingua Latina'', 7.8–10</ref>

The enunciation of the requested auspicia that began the observation portion of the ceremony was called ''legum dictio''.<ref>Maurus Servius Honoratus, ''In Vergilii Aeneidem commentarii'', 3.89</ref> Observation conditions were rigorous and required absolute silence for validity of the operation. Technically the sky was divided into four sections or regions: ''dextera'', ''sinistra'', ''antica'', and ''postica'' (right, left, anterior and posterior).<ref>Varro, ''Lingua Latina'', 7.7</ref>

The prototype of the ritual of inauguration of people is described in Livy's<ref>Livy, ''[[Ab Urbe Condita Libri (Livy)|Ab Urbe Condita]]'', 1.18, 5.10</ref> description of the inauguration of king [[Numa Pompilius]]:<blockquote>The augur asks Jupiter:<ref>[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#signum|''signa'']] belong to Jupiter</ref> "''Si fas est''" (i.e. if it is divine justice to do this) "... send me a certain ''signum'' (sign)" then the augur listed the ''auspicia'' he wanted to see. When they appeared Numa was declared king.</blockquote>