  A generalized Lagrangian for the description of hadronic matter based on the
linear $SU(3)_L \times SU(3)_R$ $\sigma$-model is proposed. Besides the baryon
octet, the spin-0 and spin-1 nonets, a gluon condensate associated with broken
scale invariance is incorporated. The observed values for the vacuum masses of
the baryons and mesons are reproduced. In mean-field approximation, vector and
scalar interactions yield a saturating nuclear equation of state. We discuss
the difficulties and possibilities to construct a chiral invariant baryon-meson
interaction that leads to a realistic equation of state. It is found that a
coupling of the strange condensate to nucleons is needed to describe the
hyperon potentials correctly. The effective baryon masses and the appearance of
an abnormal phase of nearly massless nucleons at high densities are examined. A
nonlinear realization of chiral symmetry is considered, to retain a Yukawa-type
baryon-meson interaction and to establish a connection to the Walecka-model.

Nuclear Theory