Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PILENT UM. PILEUS. 919
(Pollux, ix. 105.) We learn from Plato (T/ieae. (Liv. v. 25.) The Vestal virgins were conveyed
p. 146) that in one game of ball, played at by in the same manner. (Prudentius contra Sym. ii.
boys, though we do not know what kind it was, sub fin.) The pilentum was probably very like
the boy who was conquered was called ass (0Ivos); the HARMAMAXA and CARPENTUM, but open at
and the one who conquered was named king the sides, so that those who sat in it might both
(&aol'LhEts). see and be seen. [J. Y.]
Among the Romans the game at ball was also PI'LEUS or PI'LEUM (Non. Marc. iii.;pilea
played at in various ways. Pila was used in a gene- virorumn sunt, Serv. in Virg. Aen. ix. 616). dim.
ral sense for any kind of ball: but the balls among PILE'OLUS or PILE'OLUM (Colum. de Arbor.
the Romans seem to have been of three kinds; 25); (7rAos, dim. 7rgtALo, second dim. 7rArLSov;
the pila in its narrower sense, a small ball; the 7r1:i~/a, 7rlXoTo'd), any piece of felt; more espefollis, a great ball filled with air [FOLLIS]; and cially, a skull-cap of felt, a hat.
the paganica, of which we know scarcely anything, There seems no reason to doubt that felting (X
as it is only mentioned in two passages by Martial irtXA7 lc71eK, Plat. Poit. ii. 2. p. 296, ed. Bekker) is
(vii. 32. 7, xiv. 43), but from the latter of which a more ancient invention than weaving [TELA.], nor
we may conclude that it was smaller than the that both of these arts came into Europe from Asia.
follis and larger than the pila. Most of the games From the Greeks, who were acquainted with
at ball among the Romans seem to have been this article as early as the age of Homer (II. x.
played at with the pila or small ball. One of the 265) and Hesiod (Op. et Dies, 542, 546), the use
simplest modes of playing the ball, where two per- of felt passed together with its name to the Rosons standing opposite to one another threw the mans. Among them the employment of it was
ball from one to the other, was called dtatailI always far less extended than among the Greeks.
lude)re. (Plaut. Curo. ii. 3. 17.) But the most Nevertheless Pliny in one sentence, "Lanae et
favourite game at ball seems to have been the per se coactae vestem faciunt," gives a very exact
trigon or pila trigonalis, which was played at by account of the process of felting. (H. N. viii. 48.
three persons, who stood in the form of a triangle, s. 73.) A Latin sepulchral inscription (Gruter,
Y r vplY&cV. We have no particulars respecting p. 648. n. 4) mentions " a manufacturer of woollen
it, but we are told that skilful players prided felt " (lanarisns coactilarius), at the same time inthemselves upon catching and throwing the ball dicating that he was not a native of Italy (Lariwith their left hand. (Mart. xiv. 46, vii. 72. 9). seus).
The ancient physicians prescribed the game at The, principal use of felt among the Greeks and
ball, as well as other kinds of exercise, to their Romans was to make coverings of the head for the
patients; Antyllus (ap. Oribas. vi. 32) gives some male sex, and the most common kind was a simple
interesting information on this subject. skull-cap. It was often more elevated, though still
The persons playing with the pila or small ball round at the top,. In this shape it appears on
in the annexed woodcut are taken from a painting coins, especially on those of Sparta, or such as exin the baths of Titus (Descr. des Bains de Titus, hibit the symbols of the Dioscuri; and it is thus
pl. 17); but it is difficult to say what particular represented, with that addition on its summit,
kind of game they are playing at. Three of the which distinguished the Roman flamines and salii,
players have two bails each. in three figures of the woodcut to the article APEX.
But the apex, according to Dionysius of Halicaro. O z 3 J o nassus, was sometimes conical; and conical or
pointed caps were certainly very common.
i ~ 2,<t M tt In the Greek and Roman mythology different
kinds of caps were symbolically assigned to indi/l,,., V1- ~ - kf S'' v cate the occupations of the wearers. The painter
Nicomachus first represented Ulysses in a cap, no' doubt to indicate his sea-faring life. (Plin. H. N.
xxxvi. ~ 22.) The woodcut on the following page
\ shows him clothed in the ExoMis, and in the act of
(' P ) i \ offering wine to the Cyclops. (Winckelmann, Mon.
n\ ed.ii. 154; Homer, Od. ix. 345-347.) He here
/AII X X X,Vwears the round cap; but more commonly both he
/ ~-2......= J ij — D and the boatman Charon (see woodcut, p. 512)...___.- have it pointed. Vulcan (see woodcut, p. 726)
and Daedalus wear the caps of common artificers.
(BUrette, De la Spherislique, p. 214, &c., iz A cap of very frequent occurrence in the works
Mli m. de l'Acad. des Insscr. vol. i.; Krause, Gys- of ancient art is that now generally known by the
nastik u. Agon. d. Hell. p. 299, &c.; Becker, name of "the Phrygian bonnet." The Mysian
Gallus, vol. i. p. 268, &c.) pileus, mentioned by Aristophanes (Acharn. 429),
PILA. [MORTARIUM.] must have been one of this kind. For we find it
PILA'NI. [EXERCITUS, p. 501,b.] continually introduced as the characteristic symbol
PILENTUM, a splendid four-wheeled carriage, of Asiatic life in paintings and sculptures of Priam
furnished with soft cushions, which conveyed the (see woodcut, p. 882) and Mithras (woodcut on
Roman matrons in sacred processions, and in going title-page), and in short in all the representations,
to the Circensian and other games. (Virg. Aen. viii. not only of Trojans and Phrygians, but of Amazons
666; Hor. Epist. ii. 1. 192; Claudian, De Nzpt. (woodcut, p. 894), and of all the inhabitants of
Honor. 285; Isid. Orig. xx. 12.) This distinction Asia Minor, and even of nations dwelling still
was granted to them by the Senate on account of further east. The representations of this Phrygian,
their generosity in giving their gold and jewels on or Mysian, cap in sculptured marble show that it
a particular occasion for the service of the state. was made of a strong and stiff material and of a
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