in Roman antiquity, priests of Mars, of which there were twelve, instituted by Numa, and wearing painted, parti-coloured garments, and high bonnets, with a steel cuirass on the breast. They were called salii, from saltare, to dance; because, after assisting at sacrifices, they went dancing about the streets, with bucklers in their left hand, and a rod in their right, striking musically with their rods on one another's bucklers, and singing hymns in honour of the gods.