01-15-2005, 09:07 AM
Tarbicus,<br>
<br>
I'm sure you're right about the origins of the<br>
modern salute. I'd heard that, too. It was a<br>
way of showing A.) Respect to your superior<br>
and B.) That you were not an imposter hiding<br>
inside his armour if you raised the visor of<br>
your medieval helmet (that's if you were on<br>
campaign). If you were jousting, I guess you<br>
would also need to prove your identity as the<br>
winning knight. It's all very well to bear a coat-<br>
of-arms for identification, but there would<br>
always be the chance that you might have paid<br>
a better knight to take you place in the lists,<br>
and then claim the credit for his success. But<br>
raising your visor to the president of the joust<br>
would be the proof that you were who you<br>
said you were. I guess the same principle<br>
'might' possibly have applied during the Roman<br>
cavalry exercises of the Hippika Gymnasia (where<br>
the opposing turmae are believed to have worn<br>
those parade-helmets with full-face visors (for<br>
extra protection). They, may have had to raise/<br>
remove their visors as the winning team.<br>
<br>
Ambrosius <p></p><i></i>
<br>
I'm sure you're right about the origins of the<br>
modern salute. I'd heard that, too. It was a<br>
way of showing A.) Respect to your superior<br>
and B.) That you were not an imposter hiding<br>
inside his armour if you raised the visor of<br>
your medieval helmet (that's if you were on<br>
campaign). If you were jousting, I guess you<br>
would also need to prove your identity as the<br>
winning knight. It's all very well to bear a coat-<br>
of-arms for identification, but there would<br>
always be the chance that you might have paid<br>
a better knight to take you place in the lists,<br>
and then claim the credit for his success. But<br>
raising your visor to the president of the joust<br>
would be the proof that you were who you<br>
said you were. I guess the same principle<br>
'might' possibly have applied during the Roman<br>
cavalry exercises of the Hippika Gymnasia (where<br>
the opposing turmae are believed to have worn<br>
those parade-helmets with full-face visors (for<br>
extra protection). They, may have had to raise/<br>
remove their visors as the winning team.<br>
<br>
Ambrosius <p></p><i></i>
"Feel the fire in your bones."
