Pontifex Maximus

Okay kiddo, so do you know what a pope is? He is like the leader of the Catholic Church.

So, before there were popes, there was a very important person in ancient Rome who was called the "pontifex maximus."

You can imagine the pontifex maximus as someone who was kind of like a pope but in ancient Rome. Like a pope, they were the religious leader and had a lot of power.

But instead of leading the Catholic Church, they led the religious ceremonies and practices of the Roman people.

They were also in charge of making sure that the calendar was correct and that everyone knew when to celebrate festivals and important events. They were kind of like a combination of a religious leader and a calendar keeper.

The position of pontifex maximus was really important in ancient Rome and was held by some of the most well-known leaders in history, like Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar.