SALI´NUM
SALI´NUM
dim. SALILLUM, a salt-cellar. Among the poor a shell
served for a salt-cellar (Hor.
Sat. 1.3, 14;
Schol.
ad loc.); but all who were raised above
poverty had one of silver which descended from father to son (
Hor. Carm. 2.16.13;
Liv. 26.36), and was accompanied by a silver
patella, which was used together with the salt-cellar in the
domestic sacrifices (Pers. 3.24, 25). These two articles of silver were
alone compatible with the simplicity of Roman manners in the early times of
the Republic (
Plin. Nat. 33.153;
V. Max. 4.4.3). The salt-cellar was no doubt
placed in the middle of the table, to which it communicated a sacred
character, from the offering of the
mola salsa
to the Lares. [Compare LARARIUM; PATELLA;
Becker-Göll,
Gallus, 3.398.] In shape
the salinum was probably in most cases a round shallow bowl. Probably some
of the small silver bowls from Montcornet (Aisne), in the British Museum
(referred to under PIPERATORIUM), are
salt-cellars.
[
J.Y] [
G.E.M]
