ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ancile

An ancile is something special that the ancient Romans believed to be a shield created by the god Vulcan. They believed that this shield protected their city of Rome from harm and that if it was ever lost or destroyed, the city would be in great danger.

Think of the ancile like a superhero shield, like Captain America’s! The Romans believed that it was magical and that it had the power to protect their city. They also believed that there was only one real ancile and that it had been created by the god of fire and blacksmiths, Vulcan.

The story goes that when the original ancile was created, it was an exact copy of the magical shield that the goddess Minerva had given to the great warrior and founder of Rome, Romulus. The ancile was then passed down through generations of Roman kings and carefully guarded to make sure it didn't fall into the wrong hands.

So, essentially, an ancile is a legendary shield that the ancient Romans believed was magical and had the power to protect their city. It was seen as a symbol of power and authority and was guarded with great care by the Roman kings.