An insistence on the correct carrying out of the ritual was also characteristic of Roman religion, and remained so. The ceremonies must be correct down to the very last detail, and nothing might be altered in them. The cultic personnel had the responsibility for this, and it could carry out its ritual tasks validly even without the participation of the public, i.e. of the people. 4. Priests List 11. M. Beard and J. North (eds.), Pagan Priests: Religion and Power in the Ancient World, London 1990.