Pollice Verso

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

It is not so clear what the signs really were which the audience made with their hands to express if a defeated gladiator should receive the coup de grâce or the missio (dismission from the arena).

Junkelmann mentioned in his book that the ancient authors used the term "pollice verso" but it does not seem clear in which way the thumb was turned, downwards like shown in the famous picture of Jean-Léon Gérôme, or some movement towards the breast or throat with the thumb to indicate a thrust of the sword.

What was the sign for missio? "Pollicem premere" (squeezed thumb) means that the thumb was pressed onto the fist and this had a good luck meaning. It definitely does not seem to have been thumbs up as Hollywood wants us to think.

Does anyone of you have some clues what the signs could have been.

[john m roberts]

I've read in many places that waving a kerchief was a sign the defeated gladiator should be spared, but I don't know what the source for this may be. It would certainly be easy to see, unlike a hand gesture.

[Tib. Gabinius]

You mean the "mappa", yes, thats one of the proofed methods. Its mentioned by Martial and is one of the often shown signs of the magistrats, that hold munera / ludi, in circus or amphitheater.
But the mappa was not only a (hand)kerchief, also a kind of napkin, so it had multiple possible uses.
Someone like Cato denied his use, he was still sneezing in his hand.

[john m roberts]

Well, that's Cato for you.

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

I heard about the mappa used by the magistrate who hosted the ludi circenses as a start signal to unleash the chariots.

[Epictetus]

I saw on CNN a video regarding a virtual tour of ancient Rome. Interestingly, they still have the "thumbs down" in it.

I wonder what Juvenal would think of all the trouble he caused?

These men once were horn-blowers, who went the round of every provincial show, and whose puffed-out cheeks were known in every village; to-day they hold shows of their own, and win applause by slaying whomsoever the mob with a turn of the thumb bids them slay...

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

We discussed the turning of the thumb also in this thread. I gave there a summary of Junkelmann's conclusions re this matter.

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=24568