But the early Roman had few accomplishments to embellish his virtues. Art and civilisation either did not exist or have perished without leaving any traces. It is likely enough that all the city’s energies were occupied with the one business of fighting. Some hints of civilising reform hang about the name of Appius Claudius, who was censor about 318-312 B.C. In his time we date some of the military changes mentioned above, and they seem to have accompanied economic changes which point to growing wealth at Rome. Copper gave place to silver as the standard of exchange, and therewith the copper _as_ depreciated in value, so that the Roman unit of historical times, the sestertius of 2½ _as_ value, was a coin worth about _2d._ Land was no longer the sole basis of property; it became possible for a man to become rich by trade, and accordingly landless citizens were now drafted into the ancient tribes for the first time. To this great censor also belongs the first of the famous Roman military roads, the Appian Way, which led southwards to the Greek cities of Campania. Even to-day the Via Appia, flanked with its ruined tombs--for the Romans often buried their dead along the highways--running like a dart across the barren Campagna, is one of the most striking spectacles which modern Rome has to offer.[9] Of anything which can be dignified with the name of literature we have scarcely a relic. What there is seems ludicrously rustic and uncouth. Consider, for an example, the ancient hymn of the Salii, the jumping priests of Mars. There were twelve of them, all men of patrician family; they dressed in embroidered tunics, with the striped toga, a breastplate of bronze, a conical cap with a spike; they carried each a sacred shield, and as they made their annual processions through the city at the beginning of each campaigning year, they leaped into the air and thumped their shields with sticks; trumpeters preceded them, and they sang this ghostly chant: ENOS LASES IVVATE (_ter_) NEVE LVE RVE MARMAR SINS INCVRRERE IN PLEBES (_ter_) SATVR FV FERE MARS. LIMEN SALI. STA. BERBER (_ter_) SEMVNIS ALTERNEI ADVOCAPIT CONCTOS. (_ter_) ENOS MARMOR IVVATO (_ter_) TRIVMPE (_quinquies_) which is probably to be translated: Help us, O Lares (_thrice_) And, O Mars, let not plague or ruin attack our people (_thrice_) Be content, fierce Mars. Leap the threshold. Halt. Strike (_thrice_) In alternate strain call upon all the heroes. (_thrice_) Help us, Mars (_thrice_) Leap (_five times_). EARLY RELIGION