It has been suggested that the shields (_ancilia_) which the Salii carried, being twelve in number for each of the two guilds, represented the twelve months of the year, either as twelve suns[96] (the sun being renewed each month), or as twelve moons, which is a little more reasonable. This idea implies that the number of the Salii (which was the same as that of the Fratres Arvales) was based on the number of months in the year, which is very far from likely; it would seem also to assume that the shape of the shields was round, like sun or moon, which was almost certainly not the case. According to the legend, the original shield fell on the first new moon of the year; but it is quite unnecessary to jump to the conclusion that the others represent eleven other new moons. It would rather seem probable to a cautious inquirer that though an incrustation of late myth may have grown upon the Salii and their carmen and their curious arms, no amount of ingenious combination has as yet succeeded in proving that such myths had their origin in any really ancient belief of the Romans. What we know for certain is that there were twelve warrior-priests of the old Palatine city, and that they carried twelve shields of an antique type, which Varro compares to the Thracian peltae (_L. L._ 7. 43); shaped not unlike the body of a violin, with a curved indentation on each side[97], which, when the shield was slung on the back, would leave space for the arms to move freely. In this respect, as in the rest of his equipment, the Salius simply represented the old Italian warrior in his ‘war-paint.’ In the examples of expulsion of evils referred to above as collected by Mr. Frazer, it is interesting to notice how often the expellers use military arms, or are dressed in military fashion. This may perhaps help us to understand how attributes apparently so distinct as the military and the agricultural should be found united in Mars and his cult. NON. MART. (MARCH 7). F. ... [VEDI]OVI. ARTIS VEDIOVIS INTER DUOS LUCOS. (PRAEN.) Various conjectures have been made for correcting this note. We may take it that the first word is rightly completed: some letters seem to have preceded it, and _feriae_ has been suggested[98], but not generally accepted. The next word, _Artis_, must be a slip of the stone-cutter. That it was not Martis we are sure, as Ovid says that there was no note in the Fasti for this day except on the cult of Vediovis[99]. Even Mommsen is in despair, but suggests _Aedis_ as a possibility, and that _dedicata_ was accidentally omitted after it. We do not know when the temple was dedicated[100]. The cult of Vediovis seems to have no special connexion with other March rites: and it seems as well to postpone consideration of it till May 21, the dedication-day of the temple _in arce_. See also on Jan. 1. VII ID. MART. (MARCH 9). C. ARMA ANCILIA MOVENT. (PHILOC.)