The derogatory gesture is almost 2500 years old
Today, showing the middle finger is considered as a derogatory sign. It is used as an abusive gesture, often to insult or mock the other individual. Though the gesture seems quite contemporary yet you might be surprised to know that it is one of the most ancient hand gestures known to us.
The first recorded version of this gesture was used by famous ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes in his play, The Clouds.
Even in the play, it was used as a derogatory gesture. In the play, Socrates was shown the middle finger by Strepsiades. Even back then, the Romans used to consider this gesture as rude and indecent.
Interestingly, the ancient Romans used this gesture to mimic the penis and the testicles.
the ancient Romans called the middle finger the digitus impudicus or indecent finger. The finger stood symbolically for the penis, while the two fingers on the either side represented the testicles. It is believed that Romans acquired this gesture from the Greeks.
Infamous Roman Emperor Caligula used to humiliate his citizens by forcing them to kiss his middle finger instead of his hand.
It was common custom for people to kiss the king’s ring or hand but Caligula, known for his perversion, had some different ideas.
People consider that it was his style of telling everybody that he is superior and rest all are inferiors.
Not just Greeks but even the Arabs had their own version of the gesture.
Though Aristophanes was the first person to use the finger gesture in a play but this derogatory gesture was popular throughout the world. But everybody’s version was a little different.
But unlike the standard version where you have the middle finger pointed up, the Arabs used this gesture by pointing the middle finger downwards.
The famous ‘V’ hand gesture, that we today use as a sign of victory of triumph, actually originated from the derogatory middle finger gesture.
You might be quite surprised to know that the two fingers were used to double the insult.
Thus originally the “v” was a symbolic indication for two penises.
In the Battle of Agincourt, the French threatened the English Soldiers that they would cut off their fingers and when they failed the Englishmen mocked them by showing their fingers.
Though many people have many different stories but it is commonly believed that in order to win the war the French soldiers threatened the Englishmen that they would cut off the two fingers so that they cannot shoot their arrows. For quite some time, this gesture had lost its popularity a little bit but this Battle again made the gesture popular.
The derogatory remark ‘Fuck You’, that often accompanies the gesture, originally came from the word ‘Pluck Yew’.
The derogatory remark ‘Fuck you’, is also said to have started from this Battle of Agincourt.
The French threatened to cut Englishmen’s fingers so that they could not Pluck their yew. So, when they failed to do so they started mocking the Frenchmen and showing the finger and yelling that look we can still pluck yew, over the time, Pluck yew became the now used fuck you along with the finger.