The Romans had a proverb that went ‘The matter is safe: the old man dances.’ What to make of such a saying? There was, apparently, a positive, salutary role for dance in Roman society, so much so that the success or failure of an enterprise could depend on it, perhaps even the wellbeing of an entire community. The ancients themselves explained the proverb by situating it in a precise place and moment in time: the first festival dedicated to the god Apollo, in 212 BCE.

It was a very dangerous year for Rome. The Carthaginian general Hannibal, their greatest enemy, was bearing down upon southern Italy, threatening to destroy the Republic. The festival, aimed to assure divine protection, was held at the Great Circus, a large area in the middle of Rome where cult practices, horse races and mass entertainment intersected.