APEX
APEX
1. A cap worn by the flamines and salii at Rome. The essential part of the
apex, to which alone the name properly belonged, was a pointed piece of
olive-wood, the base of which was surrounded with a lock of wool. This was
worn on the top of the head, and was held there either by fillets only, or,
as was more commonly the case, by the aid of a cap which fitted the head,
and was also fastened by means of two strings or bands, which were called
apicula or
offendices (Festus,
s. vv.), though the
latter word is also interpreted to mean a kind of button, by which the
strings were fastened under the chin. (Comp.
Serv. ad Aen. 2.683; viii, 664; 10.270.)
The flamines were forbidden by law to go into public, or even into the open
air, without the apex (
Gel. 10.15), and hence we
find the expression of
alicui apicem dialem imponere
used as equivalent to the appointment of a flamen dialis. (
Liv. 6.41.) Sulpicius was deprived of the
priesthood, only because the apex fell from his head whilst he was
sacrificing. (
V. Max. 1.1.4.)
Dionysius (
2.70) describes the cap as
being of a conical form. On ancient monuments we see it round as well as
conical. From its various forms, as shown on bas-reliefs and on coins of the
Roman emperors, who as priests were entitled to wear it, we have selected
six for the annexed woodcut. The middle figure is
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Apices, or caps worn by the Flamines and Salii.
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from a bas-relief, showing one of the salii with a rod in his
right hand. The Albogalerus, or albus galerus, was a white cap worn by the
flamen dialis, made of the skin of a white
[p. 1.136]victim
sacrificed to Jupiter, and had the apex fastened to it by means of a
olive-twig. (Festus, s. v.
Albogalerus;
Gel. 10.15.)
2. Hence used in wider senses as (
a) the ridge
on the helmet to which the crest was attached (
Verg. A. 10.270,
12.492;
Isidor.
Orig. 18.14, 2). (
b) The
τιάρα ὀρθὴ of the Persian king (Hor.
Od. 1.34,
14;
3.21,
20). (
c) A hat (
Cic.
Leg. i. 1).
Apex is derived from the old verb
apere,
“to join” (
Serv. ad Aen.
10.270, and Festus), and from it was formed the epithet
apicatus, applied to the flamen dialis by Ovid
(
Ov. Fast. 3.197).
[
J.Y] [
J.H.F]
