CAMILLI
CAMILLI,
CAMILLAE, boys and girls employed in
the sacrifices of the Flamen Dialis, the Flaminica Dialis, and in general in
religious rites and ceremonies. They were required to be perfect in form and
sound in health, free born, and with both their parents alive; or, in other
words, according to the expression of the Romans,
pueri
seu puellae ingenui, felicissimi, patrimi matrimique. The
origin of these words gave rise to various opinions among the ancients.
Dionysius supposed them to correspond to the
κάδμιλοι among the Curetes and Corybantes; others connected them
with Cadmilus or Casmilus, one of the Samothracian Cabeiri; but we know
nothing certain on the matter. Respecting the employment of the Camillus at
Roman marriages, see
MATRIMONIUM (
Dionys. A. R. 2.21,
22; Varr.
L. L. 7.34;
Macr. 3.8.7; Serv.
ad
Verg. A. 11.543;
Plut. Num. 7; Festus, s. vv.
Camillus, Cumera, Flaminius
Canillus; Hartung,
Die Religion der
Römer, i. p. 157, ii. p. 71; Marquardt,
Röm. Staatsverw. iii. pp. 220, 316.)
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W.S]
