There are two versions of how the college was established. One creditsTitus Tatius with creating the college to superintend and preserve theTitienses, one of the three original tribes(tribus) in theRegal period,[2] which may have represented theItalic tribe ofSabines.[3][4] The other says thatRomulus created it in honour of king Tatius, who after his death was worshipped as a god.[5]
During theRepublic the Titii are no longer mentioned,[6] as thecults of all Italic tribes became gradually united into Roman religion.[7] The Titii were restored under theEmpire,[8][9] but their functions were changed to conduct the worship of anemperor, like those ofSodales Augustales. Augustus may have been a member of the Titii.[10][11]