Are you not entertained?!

Oberon · 02-24-15, 01:20 PM

Oh dear, that pic has a myth in it there. The Thumbs down and up gesture.
Generally it was a flat palm or a closed fist.

Quote:

Contrary to popular belief, the emperor did not give a thumbs up or down for a gladiator as a signal to kill his enemy. The emperor (and only the emperor) would give an open or closed hand – if his palm was flat, it meant “spare his life”, if it was closed, it meant “kill him”. If a gladiator killed his opponent before the emperor gave his permission, the gladiator would be put on trial for murder, as only the emperor had the right to condemn a man to death. In the image above we see this myth in action.

http://listverse.com/2008/05/05/top-...ut-the-romans/

Aktungbby · 02-24-15, 01:30 PM

^ Well I knew that! but wanted to enable you to pontifex maximus latina as OP in your own thread! Forgive my 'vulgar' latin!

Oberon · 02-24-15, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

^ Well I knew that! but wanted to enable you to pontifex maximus latina as OP in your own thread! Forgive my 'vulgar' latin!

Ave!

One cannot deny the beauty of Roman architecture.

Aktungbby · 02-24-15, 02:13 PM

AND I thought my humor was arch!

Catfish · 02-24-15, 03:22 PM

^

^^ Above @Oberon: Isn't that Aqaeduct near New York ?

Oberon · 02-24-15, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catfish

^

^^ Above @Oberon: Isn't that Aqaeduct near New York ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_du_Gard

Aktungbby · 02-24-15, 03:43 PM

the photo was nice but I'm trying to raise the cultural level here in the thread!

Platapus · 02-25-15, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Oh dear, that pic has a myth in it there. The Thumbs down and up gesture.
Generally it was a flat palm or a closed fist.

http://listverse.com/2008/05/05/top-...ut-the-romans/

Correct, ya beat me to it.

The spectators would indicate their choice by using the thumb, but also not the way we think.

A "thumbs down" indicated that the crowd wanted the victor to ground their weapon (stick the sword in the ground) to end the fight without killing the opponent.

A "thumbs thrust backward to the throat" meant that the crowd wanted the victor to kill the opponent.

But, as you wrote, the emperor had the last word.

Probably more than anyone wanted to know.

02-24-15, 01:30 PM	#2
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,084 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	^ Well I knew that! but wanted to enable you to pontifex maximus latina as OP in your own thread! Forgive my 'vulgar' latin! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

02-24-15, 02:13 PM	#4
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,084 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	AND I thought my humor was arch! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

02-24-15, 03:43 PM	#7
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,084 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	the photo was nice but I'm trying to raise the cultural level here in the thread! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

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02-24-15, 03:22 PM	#5
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,805 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	^ ^^ Above @Oberon: Isn't that Aqaeduct near New York ?