What do you want to be when you grow up? Butcher, baker, candlestick maker? How about a Haruspex? Before you commit, you might want to hear the job description.

In ancient Rome, a haruspex played the important role of making predictions based on the entrails of sacrificial animals - specifically, the livers and gallbladder of sheep and poultry. Yes, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it… right?

Absolutely - in fact, these soothsayers were part of a larger group of seers whose official function was to determine whether the gods approved of a proposed course of political or military action. An important decision simply couldn’t be taken until the auguries had been consulted, and the work of the Haruspex was vital to the mix.