obtained that honour by slaying the prior incumbent in a trial by combat, and who could remain at the post only so long as he successfully defended his position against all challengers. However, a successful candidate had first to test his mettle by plucking a golden bough from one of the trees in the sacred grove. The human sacrifice conducted at Nemi was thought to be highly unusual by the ancients. Suetonius mentions it as an example of the moral failings of Caligula. Strabo calls it Scythian, implying that he found it barbaric. The violent character of this singular institution could barely be justified by reference to its great antiquity and mythological sanctity. The ancient sources also appear to concur that an escaped slave who seeks refuge in this uneasy office is likely to be a desperate man. The Golden Bough James George Frazer, in his seminal work The Golden Bough, argued that the tale of the priesthood of Nemi was an instance of a worldwide myth of a sacred king who must periodically die as part of a regular fertility rite. In 1990, a radio programme entitled "The Priest of Nemi" was produced by Michael Bakewell and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. This programme was based on the 1990 book The Making of the Golden Bough by Robert Fraser, which was written to mark the centenary of the first edition of Frazer's book. External references The novel Nemorensis, by Simon Spurrier (set in the universe of the Elite: Dangerous MMORPG), is based on the legend. Notes Bibliography Fraser, Robert. The Making of the Golden Bough: The Origins and Growth of An Argument Macmillan, 1990. Frazer, Sir James G. The Golden Bough Macmillan, 1950, abridged edition. Hornblower, Simon, et al. (eds.) The Oxford Classical Dictionary (3d edition. 2003) External links Blog of exhibition of Nemi material at Nottingham museum 2013 Nemi at Nottingham project The Oleaster at the End of the Æneid by Julia Dyson Lays of Ancient Rome by Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay from Project Gutenberg Sacred groves Ancient Roman religious titles Diana (mythology) Ancient Roman priests Lake Nemi