1 Earliest Rome

5.4 The'Salii and their rituals
in the month called 'Martius' . It is conducted at public expense, over many
days, during which the Salii lead their dances through the city to the Forum and the
Capitoline hill, and to many other places, both public and private. They are dressed in
embroidered tunics clasped with bronze belts, and crimson-striped robes edged with
purple, fastened with brooches; these robes are called 'trabeae', a distinctively Roman
garment and a mark of the greatest honour amongst them. On their heads are set so-
called apices', high caps narrowing into the shape of a cone, that the Greeks call
'kyrbasiai'. Each one of them has a sword hanging from his belt, and in his right hand
wields a spear or a rod or some other such weapon, and in his left holds a Thracian
shield. This is like a diamond-shaped shield, drawn in at the sides to form two hollows' -
just like those carried, it is said, by the men amongst the Greeks who perform the sacred
rituals of the Kouretes? And the Salii art, if you translate the title into Greek, Kouretes; at
least that is my opinion. Their Greek name derives from their time of life, because they
are 'young men' ; their Roman name from their spirited movements.
For the Latin word for 'to jump' and 'to leap' is satire. And for the same reason they call
all other dancers saltatores, deriving the word from the Salii - because in their dancing
there is much leaping and springing. Whether I have made a correct interpretation in
giving them this title, anyone who wants will be able to judge from the actions they
perform. For in their armour they make rhythmic movements to the sound of the flute,
sometimes in unison, sometimes in turn; and they sing some traditional hymns while
dancing. And it was the Kouretes, if we are to judge from ancient stories, who first
established dancing and displays of movement under arms and the ringing that comes
from shields struck by daggers. 6
1. This passage is part of a review of the religious foundations of Rome's second king,
Numa (1.2) — listed under eight separate headings.
2. Dionysius refers to the two sub-groups of Salii {Palatini and Agonales/Col/im"), whose
origins were attributed to two different kings - the second group to Tullus Hostilius, the
third king of Rome, following his victoiy over rhe enemy Sabines.
3. Dionysius uses the title of the great Athenian festival of the goddess Athena to refer to
the Roman Quinquatrus (19-23 March), the festival of Minerva (the Roman equivalent
of Athena).
4. See 5.4b.
5. A cult association from Mr Ida on rhe island of Crete, who brandished shields, per­
formed war dances and sang ritual chants.
6. Dionysius is here referring to the mythical Kouretes (the legendary antecedents of the
Cretan cult association). According to tradition, they protected the infant god Zeus by
banging and clashing their shields — so drowning his cries and concealing his where­
abouts from his father Kronos, who was intent on swallowing him.
5.4b The Saltan shields (ancilid)
The most distinctive feature of the Salii were their figure-of-eight shields
{ancilid) — which, according to a later passage of Dionysius {Roman Antiquities
li.7L1), were worn by the priests themselves and also (as shown on this fourthor
third-century B.C. gemstone, 0.013 m. x 0.017 m.) carried along by their
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