history of digitus impudicus

[hoke]

seems like even the romans used this famous one finger salute of insult!

this infor came up after google on the one finger salute.

so we aren't that different then the ancients or sonethings never change! :wink:

hoke hinson/secundus
VIth FFC

[Tarbicus]

They even made the sign of the beast; the Corna. Used to ward off evil and in religious ceremonies annually to cleanse houses of malevolent spirits.

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=14425
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=6225

[Geoffrey]

In Book II, Sec. XLV of The Lives Of The Caesars, Suetonius describes how an actor by the name of Pylades was expelled from Rome and even Italy for pointing his finger at a praetor who was “hissingâ€

[Memmia]

Salve!

I read about this actor, :lol: although sources state it was the middle finger, historians are not completely sure if the finger was raised in the air (as in the standard 'salute' :wink: ) or just extended outwards, as in pointing.
It is also said that Cassius was also driven to killing Caligula as he was always forced to kiss his middle finger, which Caligula deliberately extended outwards in this rude gesture, in order to mock Cassius.

Funnily enough, I saw a motorist flip his middle finger and make a kissing gesture with lips puckered at someone who had shouted abuse at him- so maybe this 'double gesture' made it's way to the UK from Rome a few thousand years ago :lol:

[john m roberts]

A different gesture, but Josephus says that a Roman soldier on the Temple steps displayed his opinion of a demonstrating crowd by turning around, bending over and flipping up his tunic, "mooning" the crowd. This touched off a riot in which several thousand died. Some things never change.

[Memmia]

A different gesture, but Josephus says that a Roman soldier on the Temple steps displayed his opinion of a demonstrating crowd by turning around, bending over and flipping up his tunic, "mooning" the crowd. This touched off a riot in which several thousand died. Some things never change.

LOL!!! Sounds like a British lad on holiday with his mates! :wink: :lol:
-j/k

Amazing how a mere bodily gesture could cause so much uproar though.

You are right though, some things never change.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, who wants to see someones hairy arse flashed at them, after all.... :lol: