The Salii were the "leaping priests" of Mars in Ancient Rome: twelve aristocratic young men, dressed in ancient outfits worn by ancient warriors, outlandish even to people in the day of Cicero. These outfits consisted of an embroidered tunic, a breastplate, a short red cloak, a sword, and a spiked headdress called an apex. They were charged with the 12 bronze ancilia shields. These shields resembled a figure-of-eight, like Mycenaean shields. One of the shields was said to have fallen from heaven in the reign of King Numa Pompilius, and eleven copies were made.

They played a pivotal role in the Festival of the Salii, during which they sang the Carmen Saliare. Their duty, and the song's function, was to keep Rome safe in battle. During the principate, Augustus' name was inserted into the song. Ovid already thought their rituals were outdated and not understandable. Since Caesar and Augustus, the emperor was sacred, and the Salii celebrated victories in war by celebrating the capabilities of the Holy Emperor (a title given by the Senate).

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable explains:

A college of twelve priests of Mars instituted by Numa. The tale is that a shield fell from heaven, and the nymph Egeria predicted that wherever that shield was preserved the people would be the dominant people of the earth. To prevent the shield from being surreptitiously taken away, Numa had eleven others made exactly like it, and appointed twelve priests for guardians. Every year these young patricians promenaded the city, singing and dancing, and they finished the day with a most sumptuous banquet, insomuch that saliaris cena became proverbial for a most sumptuous feast. The word "saliens" means dancing.

Ovid relates the story of Numa and the heavenly ancile in his Fasti (3.259-392).

Tullus Hostilius established another collegium of Salii in fulfilment of a vow which he made in a war with the Sabines. These Salii were also twelve in number, chosen from the patricians, and appeared to have been dedicated to the service of Quirinus. They were called the Salii Collini, Agonales, or Agonenses.

Nomenclature

• Numa's Salii Palatini were dedicated to Mars surnamed Gradivus (meaning "he who walks into battle"), and were quartered on the Palatine Hill.
• Tullus' Salii Collini were dedicated to Quirinus, and were quartered on the Quirinal Hill. Rosinus called them Agonenses Salii.

Continuation of the Palatine Hill

In the later days of the Roman Empire, the Paladines (Palatine inhabitants, ie. palace attendants) included the mystical behavior of the previous temple at the same place, Palatine Hill, in order to gain more authority in the face of the community. See Paladin on the late Roman and mediaeval development.

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