The Roman thumbs-down might not have meant death after all

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: We often imagine ancient gladiators facing execution based on a crowd's thumbs-down gesture. However, historical evidence suggests our modern understanding of this iconic signal is likely backwards, and its true origins may lie in much more practical, even medieval, traditions.

In popular culture, a thumbs-down is the universal sign for rejection or failure. This has led to the widespread belief that Roman spectators used the gesture to condemn defeated gladiators to death. However, classical studies professor Anthony Corbeill suggests the reality was quite different. According to his research, a thumbs-up actually signaled the killing of the gladiator, while a closed fist with a thumb wrapped around it indicated that the fighter should be spared.

The origins of the positive thumbs-up are equally debated. Some suggest it stems from English archers checking their 'fistmele'—the distance between the bowstring and the bow. A proper measurement was roughly 7 inches, similar to the height of an extended thumb. Others, like Desmond Morris, trace the gesture to medieval business transactions, where an upraised thumb symbolized harmony and agreement. The earliest recorded use of 'thumbs-up' as a positive expression in English appears in Arthur Guy Empey’s 1917 book, *Over the Top*.

The gesture's modern global popularity is often credited to World War II pilots. American flyers, such as the China-based Flying Tigers, may have adopted the sign from Chinese allies who used it to mean 'you're number one.' As American GIs moved through Europe, they spread the custom. Today, the gesture remains highly context-dependent: while it signifies approval in many English-speaking nations, it can be an insult in Iran, a request for mercy in Tibet, or a signal to ascend during a scuba dive.

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