▁right ▁to ▁appoint ▁other ▁pont ific es . ▁Thus , ▁from ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁August us , ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁pont ific es ▁ended ▁and ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁sacred ▁college ▁was ▁de emed ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁imperial ▁favour . ▁With ▁this ▁att ribution , ▁the ▁new ▁office ▁of ▁Emperor ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁religious ▁dign ity ▁and ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁Roman ▁state ▁cult . ▁Most ▁authors ▁cont end ▁that ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁naming ▁the ▁Pont ific es ▁was ▁not ▁really ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁instrument um ▁reg ni , ▁an ▁enfor cing ▁power . ▁ ▁From ▁this ▁point ▁on , ▁Pont if ex ▁Maxim us ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁titles ▁of ▁the ▁Emperor , ▁slowly ▁losing ▁its ▁specific ▁and ▁historical ▁powers ▁and ▁becoming ▁simply ▁a ▁refer ent ▁for ▁the ▁sac ral ▁aspect ▁of ▁imperial ▁duties ▁and ▁powers . ▁During ▁the ▁Imperial ▁period , ▁a ▁prom ag ister ▁( vice - master ) ▁performed ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁the ▁pont if ex ▁maxim us ▁in ▁lieu ▁of ▁the ▁em per ors ▁whenever ▁they ▁were ▁absent . ▁ ▁In ▁post - S ever an ▁times ▁( after ▁ 2 3 5   CE ), ▁the ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁pag an ▁sen ators ▁interested ▁in ▁becoming ▁pont iffs ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁pattern ▁of ▁office ▁holding . ▁In ▁Republican ▁and ▁Imperial ▁times ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁family ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁gens ▁was ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Pont iffs , ▁nor ▁did ▁one ▁person ▁hold ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁priest hood ▁in ▁this ▁colleg ium