ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Collegium (ancient Rome)

Long, long time ago, there was a group of wise and learned people in Ancient Rome. They were called the Collegium.

The Collegium was a group of people who had special skills and knowledge about a particular subject or trade. They worked together to ensure that their skills were passed down from one generation to another to maintain high standards.

For example, there were Collegiums for builders, artists, musicians, and even doctors. Members of the Collegium shared their skills and knowledge with each other, so everyone would be very skillful.

Also, they were responsible for ensuring that their products or services were of high quality by inspecting the works of their members.

The Collegium worked like a club, and people had to pay to become a member. However, once you became a member, you were part of a respected and influential society and had the privilege to vote and make decisions concerning your trade.

In summary, the Collegium was a group of people with special skills and knowledge who formed a club to ensure that their skills were passed down from generation to generation, maintained high standards and were of high quality.