in Roman antiquity, priests of Mars, where- of there were 12, instituted by Numa, wearing painted, particoloured garments, and high bonnets; with a steel cuirass on the breast. They were called salii, from salire "to dance;" because, after afflicting at sac- rifices, they went dancing about the streets, with buck- lers in their left-hand, and a rod in their right, strik- ing musically with their rods on one another's bucklers, and singing hymns in honour of the gods.