Puellae gaditanae facts for kids
Puellae gaditanae (say "Poo-ELL-eye Gah-dih-TAH-nye") means 'girls from Gades' in Latin. This was a name the ancient Romans used for female dancers from southern Hispania Baetica. Even if the dancers were not from Gades (Cádiz) itself, they were still called Puellae gaditanae. These girls were famous for their amazing performances.
History of the Gaditanae Dancers
The first mentions of the Puellae gaditanae come from an ancient writer named Strabo. He wrote about a traveler named Eudoxus of Cyzicus in the 2nd century BC. Eudoxus sailed from Cádiz to go around Africa. He brought young musicians with him on his ship. We are not sure if these musicians were dancers, singers, or played instruments, or perhaps all three.
Another Roman writer, Martial, tells us more about these dancers. He wrote that after a general named Quintus Caecilius Metellus entered Rome in triumph, around 74 BC, he had a group of girls with him. These girls were from the Andalusian region of Spain.
They were dancers who caught everyone's eye because of their crusmata baetica. These were special "metal castanets" they used while dancing. Martial also said that these dancers sang quiet love songs. Other writers mentioned that women from Cadiz were writing poetry even before the Christian era began.
In ancient Rome, the dancers from Cadiz were very well-known, just like dancers from Syria. They were often required to perform at many big, fancy parties and feasts in Rome.
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