SALII;
they were the Priests' of Mars; they wore round Bonnets on their Heads, with Two Corners standing up, and a particoloured Tunick: They also wore a kind of a Coat of Arms, of which nothing could be seen but the Edges, which was a Purple-coloured Band fast∣ned with Copper Buckles, carrying a small Rod in the Right-hand, and a little Buckler in the Left: These Salii confisted of young Noble Men, of whom there were Two very ancient Colleges in Rome: They began their Ceremo∣nies with Sacrifices, and so we find a Trivet pla∣ced near a Salian upon a Medal, which Trivet was commonly made use of at Sacrifices.
When the Sacrifices were over, they walked along the Streets, one while dancing together, other whiles separately at the Sound of some Wind-musick; they used a great many Gestures and set Postures, striking musically upon one a∣nothers Bucklers with their Rods, and singing Hymns in Honour of Janus, Mars, Juno and Minerva, who were answered by a Chorus of Virgins drest like themselves, that were made choise of to assist at that Solemnity.
Authors give divers Originalls to this Word, those who are for having the same to have been instituted before Romulus, say, that the Salii were so called from one Salius of Arcadia whom Aeneas brought from Mantinea into Italy; where he taught the Youth of the Country a sort of Dance which they performed in Arms, called by the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Critolaus will have it to proceed from one Saon, who transported the Dii Penates from Samothracia to Lavinium, and in∣stituted this sacred Dance; but Varro says, that the Salii took their Name a Saltando and Saliendo, from the Dances and Capers they made: There were Two sorts of Salii, viz. Salii Palatini, and Collini: The Institution of the first is owing to Numa, according to Livy and Dionysius of Halli∣carnassus, who appointed Twelve of them to at∣tend the Service of Mars upon Mount Palatine; the Occasion of this Institution was that the City of Rome being afflicted with a great Plague in Numa's Reign, he made his People believe, that a Brass-shield was sent him from Heaven, as a sure Pledge of the Gods Protection, and Af∣fection to the Romans. He assured them that the Nymph Egeria and the Muses advised him to keep it carefully, the Fate of the Empire de∣pending upon it; and to the end that it might not be stolen, he caused Veturius Mammurius to make Eleven more so like it, that the sacred Shield could never be distinguished from the rest. Thus Numa erected a Colledge of Twelve Priests taken out of the Patritian Order, to whom he entrusted the Care of those Bucklers, which he laid up in Mars his Temple, and which were carried yearly with Dancing and Capering thro' the City at the Feast of Mars. This Priesthood was very august in Rome, and officiated by the chief Persons in the Empire, who were assumed into the Number of the Twelve: For we read in History that several Great Captains among the Romans made themselves of the Order of the Salii, such as Appius Claudius, the Emperor Titus, Antoninus and Scipio Africanus, who, Livy says, left the Army because he was of the Or∣der of the Salii, and that their Festival Day drew near; and this was the Reason that the Army continued for some time incamped at the Heliespont, till the Return of Scipio who staied in some Place in order to perform his Devotion on the Day of the said Feast. Stativa deinde ad Heliespontum aliquandiu habuerunt, quia dies fortè quibus Ancylia moventur, religiosi ad iter incide∣rant: iidem dies P. Scipionem propiore etiam reli∣gione, quia Salius erat, disjunxerant ab exer∣citu, causaque & is ipse morae erat dum conse∣queretur.
The Salians called Collini were also to the Number of Twelve instituted by Tullius Hosti∣lius, and all of the Patrician Order; for the said King fighting against the Fidenates, as Livy says, and finding he had the Worst of it, made a Vow to Mars that he would increase the Num∣ber of the Salii, if he won the Victory, who when he had so done, created Twelve Salians more.