10-28-2005, 02:11 PM
We maybe confusing several kinds of salute here.
The first what could be called the "instinctive" salute and may probably date back from prehistoric times. It's still practiced today. You see a friend on the other side of the street and you go "Yoo hoo!" raise your hand and waive it.
The waiving of the hand cannot be reproduced in sculpture...
It may have been, in earlier times a sign of peaceful intent. The hand is shown empty of any weapon.
It could be the gesture Marcus Aurelius makes on his famous equestrian statue.
The second is the sacramentum. The oath taking. Several representations from republican times show that oath takers would stretch their arm forward, with the palm facing down. This could be the origin of the XIXth century "roman salute" much used by the french revolutionaries and by the nazis --unfortunately. It is still used in a less dramatic fashion by witnesses in courts of law ("Raise you right hand").. And by US presidents on their inauguration.
The third is what is shown on Trajan's Column fragment shown above. I think it goes with the caption: "Lo and behold the Emperor!". What the guy with the arm extended and the palm facing sideways does is just point at the Emperor. It's another way of pointing at people or things and it's a mediterranean trait. My corsican grandmother would point at things this way, with the whole hand and not only with the index finger. It adds importance to the thing or person you're pointing at.
The fourth one is the military salute and I am yet to see a conclusive proof there was one.. The byzantine casket could be one. Just could be..
Actually I tend to imagine a more "japanese" attitude between ranks. Standing at attention when receiving orders, and acknowledging the orders by a quick inclination of the torso, before running like hell to carry on said order.
The first what could be called the "instinctive" salute and may probably date back from prehistoric times. It's still practiced today. You see a friend on the other side of the street and you go "Yoo hoo!" raise your hand and waive it.
The waiving of the hand cannot be reproduced in sculpture...
It may have been, in earlier times a sign of peaceful intent. The hand is shown empty of any weapon.
It could be the gesture Marcus Aurelius makes on his famous equestrian statue.
The second is the sacramentum. The oath taking. Several representations from republican times show that oath takers would stretch their arm forward, with the palm facing down. This could be the origin of the XIXth century "roman salute" much used by the french revolutionaries and by the nazis --unfortunately. It is still used in a less dramatic fashion by witnesses in courts of law ("Raise you right hand").. And by US presidents on their inauguration.
The third is what is shown on Trajan's Column fragment shown above. I think it goes with the caption: "Lo and behold the Emperor!". What the guy with the arm extended and the palm facing sideways does is just point at the Emperor. It's another way of pointing at people or things and it's a mediterranean trait. My corsican grandmother would point at things this way, with the whole hand and not only with the index finger. It adds importance to the thing or person you're pointing at.
The fourth one is the military salute and I am yet to see a conclusive proof there was one.. The byzantine casket could be one. Just could be..
Actually I tend to imagine a more "japanese" attitude between ranks. Standing at attention when receiving orders, and acknowledging the orders by a quick inclination of the torso, before running like hell to carry on said order.
Pascal Sabas
