ARCIGALLO. – A priest of Cybele of higher rank than the simple *galli*. From the rather abundant epigraphic material that has come down to us, it appears that in the imperial age the office of *arcigallus* was not only recognized by the authorities but also held in high esteem; and since the *arcigalli* mentioned in these inscriptions are all Roman citizens, it is evident that they could not have undergone the castration which Roman law declared incompatible with the enjoyment of Roman citizenship. And if, on the other hand, writers of the imperial age reproach the *arcigalli* with the same ignominy as the simple *galli*, it is necessary to conclude that they erroneously believed that one could not attain the rank of *arcigallus* without having passed through that of *gallus*.
We have four pictorial representations of *arcigalli*, though these reduce to two, since the first three reproduce the same figure. The latter come from a tomb in the necropolis of Porto in the Isola Sacra and are especially interesting for the large crown, which we know to have been of gold and which is often mentioned by writers. Even more interesting is the relief in the Capitoline Museum, on which the *arcigallus* is depicted with all his attributes: a crown with three medallions—one of Jupiter in the center and two of Attis on the sides; a breastplate with the image of Attis; a scourge for self-flagellation; a tambourine; cymbals; a flute with a pastoral staff; and the cista mystica.
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