The Origin of the Roman Games
Games and Religion as interconnected aspects of the Roman life
Before beginning the games, the chief magistrates conducted a procession honoring the gods from the Capitol through the Forum to the Circus Maximus. Romans' sons nearing manhood and of the right age led the procession on horseback if their fathers were qualified to be equites, on foot if they were to serve in the infantry. Those on horseback went in troops and squadrons, those on foot in divisions and companies as if they were going to training school. This was done so that outsiders might see the flower of the young men of the city and how numerous and fine they were. Charioteers followed, some driving four horses abreast, some two, and others riding unyoked horses. Next came the contestants in both the light and the heavy games, their bodies naked except for a waistband.
After the contestants came numerous bands of dancers, divided into three groups, one of men, the second of youths, and the third of boys. They were accompanied by flute players, using old-fashioned flutes that were small and short, as is done even today, and by lyre players, who plucked ivory lyres of seven strings and the instruments called barbita. Their use has ceased among the Greeks of my time, traditional though it used to be, but the Romans still use them in all their ancient sacrificial ceremonies. The dancers wore red tunics with bronze belts. Swords hung at their sides, and they carried spears of shorter than normal length. They also wore bronze helmets with prominent crests and plumes. One man led each group, and he gave the figures of the dance to the others, taking the lead in displaying quick, warlike steps, usually in a four beat rhythm. After the armed dances, other dancers marched in procession as satyrs, performing the Greek dance called sicinnis. Those dressed as silenoi wore shaggy tunics, called by some chortaioi, and streams of all kinds of flowers; those portraying satyrs wore belts and goatskins and erect manes on their heads, along with other similar items. These men mocked and mimicked the serious dancing, turning it into a comic performance.
After the bands of dancers, many flute players and lyre players came in procession. And after them came men who carried censers in which perfume and frankincense were burned along the entire route of the procession, along with other men carrying vessels made of gold and silver, some that were sacred to the gods and others belonging to the Republic. Last of all came the images of the gods, carried on men's shoulders.
The "augurs" were at least as important. Like the pontiffs, they possessed their own areas of expertise, central to the political organization of the city. The first of these were the auspices, essential to an official's power. Before taking office or before beginning any public action, an official was expected to consult Jupiter, the god of the auspices. This could be done by watching the flight of birds or by observing the feeding of chickens kept for the purpose. Although magistrates performed the rite, it was the augurs who were thought to be the experts in its proper forms and in the interpretation of the results. Augurs also possessed knowledge of the rituals necessary to "inaugurate" certain places.
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