The Sodales or Sacerdotes Augustales, or simply Augustales, were an order (sodalitas) of Roman priests originally instituted by Tiberius to attend to the maintenance of the cult of Augustus and the Julii. Their establishment in 14 AD is described in the Annales of Tacitus. Their membership and organisation was very different from that of the Augustales or seviri Augustales, found throughout the cities and towns of the western Roman empire and usually selected by town councilors. Up to 95% of attested seviri Augustales were freedmen. Many were members of professional associations, not invariably wealthy but still respectable, acting as benefactors to their communities and the State by funding public gifts (munera), such as entertainments, new buildings and distribution of the Cura Annonae.