▁co - opt atio . ▁Also ▁under ▁Sul la , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁pont ific es ▁was ▁increased ▁to ▁fifteen , ▁the ▁pont if ex ▁maxim us ▁included , ▁and ▁Sul la ▁nominated ▁Quint us ▁Ca ec il ius ▁Met ell us ▁P ius ▁as ▁the ▁next ▁holder ▁of ▁the ▁office ▁– ▁the ▁only ▁truly ▁une lect ed ▁Pont if ex ▁Maxim us ▁in ▁history , ▁since ▁even ▁the ▁other ▁pont iffs ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁a ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁matter . ▁ ▁In ▁ 6 3   BC , ▁the ▁law ▁of ▁Sul la ▁was ▁abol ished ▁by ▁the ▁trib une ▁Tit us ▁Lab ien us , ▁and ▁a ▁modified ▁form ▁of ▁the ▁lex ▁Dom it ia ▁was ▁re inst ated ▁providing ▁for ▁election ▁by ▁com it ia ▁trib uta ▁once ▁again : ▁G ai us ▁Julius ▁Ca esar ▁followed ▁A hen obar bus ' s ▁preced ent ▁by ▁being ▁elected ▁by ▁public ▁vote , ▁although ▁Ca esar ▁at ▁least ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁a ▁pont iff . ▁Marcus ▁Anton ius ▁later ▁restored ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁co - opt atio ▁to ▁the ▁college , ▁in ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁Marcus ▁A em il ius ▁Le pid us . ▁Also ▁under ▁Julius ▁Ca esar , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁pont ific es ▁were ▁increased ▁to ▁six teen , ▁the ▁pont if ex ▁maxim us ▁included . ▁( P oss ibly ▁because ▁Ca esar ' s ▁own ▁long ▁abs ences ▁from ▁Rome ▁necess itated ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁a ▁deput y ▁pont iff ▁for ▁those ▁occasions ▁when