Origins of the \'Hollywood\' Roman salute?

[tlclark]

Tarbicus has the number on this, but there is another angle.

I've been looking through my books. I had always thought the raised hand (which is never rigid as in the nazi salute) was the common salute. It is also the gesture of salutation and oration in art for adlocutio, adventus and oratio scenes., but I never see it used by anyone of lower rank. It is always from an emperor to his troops, or likewise from one upper classmen to another.

Hands raised by lower classes are not quite the same, and like Robert points out, it's hard to tell if they are actually saluting or just raising their arms in appreciation, like at a concert or rally.

Hmmm.

MOre to think about.

Gotta got the library and check out Brilliant's book on this.

Travis