(from the Greek, σχοινος, a rope; and βάλω, I walk), a name which the Greeks gave to their rope-dancers; by the Romans called funambuli. See Rope-dancer and Funambulus.

The schenobates were slaves whose masters made money of them, by entertaining the people with their feats of activity. Mercatialis de arte gymnastica, lib. iii. gives us five figures of schenobates engraven after ancient stones.