Tages

Tages was a founding prophet of Etruscan religion who is known from reports by Latin authors of the late Roman republic and Roman empire. He revealed a cosmic view of divinity and correct methods of ascertaining divine will concerning events of public interest. Divination was undertaken in Roman society by priestly officials called haruspices. Political officials also, such as the augures, were constituted with some responsibilities for divination. While the religion flourished these priests accompanied public officials, including generals in the field, and were consulted on everything of interest to the senate and people of Rome.

The sacred texts recording the revelations of Tages (and a few other prophets, mainly a female figure known as Vegoia) were called by the Romans the Etrusca Disciplina at least as early as the late republic. They were written in the Etruscan language, despite their Latin titles. None presently survive. The last author claiming to have read elements of the disciplina is the 6th century Joannes Laurentius Lydus, writing at Constantinople. Thus knowledge of Tages comes mainly from what is said about him by the classical authors, which is a legendary and quasi-mythical view; Lydus suggests that Tages is only a parable.

Read more about Tages:  Etymology, Legend, Etrusca Disciplina, Representations of Tages