▁Some ▁of ▁these ▁sources ▁present ▁an ▁extensive ▁list ▁of ▁every day ▁prohib itions ▁for ▁the ▁Pont if ex ▁Maxim us ; ▁it ▁seems ▁difficult ▁to ▁recon cile ▁these ▁lists ▁with ▁evidence ▁that ▁many ▁Pont ific es ▁Max imi ▁were ▁prominent ▁members ▁of ▁society ▁who ▁lived ▁normal , ▁non - rest rict ed ▁lives . ▁ ▁E lection ▁and ▁number ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁Pont ific es , ▁elected ▁by ▁co - opt atio ▁( i . e . ▁the ▁remaining ▁members ▁nomin ate ▁their ▁new ▁colle ague ) ▁for ▁life , ▁was ▁originally ▁five , ▁including ▁the ▁pont if ex ▁maxim us . ▁The ▁pont ific es , ▁moreover , ▁could ▁only ▁come ▁from ▁the ▁old ▁nob ility , ▁the ▁patr icians . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 3 0 0 – 2 9 9   B CE ▁the ▁lex ▁Og ul nia ▁opened ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Pont if ex ▁Maxim us ▁to ▁public ▁election ▁and ▁permitted ▁the ▁ple bs ▁( ple be ians ) ▁to ▁be ▁co - opt ed ▁as ▁pri ests , ▁so ▁that ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁exclus ivity ▁of ▁the ▁title ▁was ▁lost . ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁only ▁in ▁ 2 5 4   B CE ▁that ▁T iber ius ▁Cor un can ius ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁ple be ian ▁Pont if ex ▁Maxim us . ▁ ▁The ▁lex ▁Og ul nia ▁also ▁increased ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁pont iffs ▁to ▁nine ▁( the ▁pont if ex ▁maxim us ▁included ). ▁In ▁ 1 0 4   B CE ▁the ▁lex ▁Dom