In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum ("king of the sacred", also sometimes rex sacrificulus, "[one who makes] offerings made by the king") was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. Although in the historical era the pontifex maximus was the head of Roman state religion, Festus says that in the ranking of priests, the rex sacrorum was of highest prestige, followed by the flamines maiores. The rex was based in the Regia.