Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, post: 3808201, member: 99554&quot;]Many years ago I bought an antique car from a neighbour. It was in his garage for decades and the poor guy was getting to old to restore it. We agreed on a fair price and I offered him to make a contract with the details of our transaction. His answer was : « a good handshake is better than any papers ». He was right. We did that : the deal was made...But where and when was this custom practiced in the past ? Here are some interesting facts :</p><p><br /></p><p>The hand shaking gesture, <i>Dexiosis</i> for the Greeks or <i>Dextrarum Iunctio </i>for the Romans is first found in ancient Greek art, especially on funerary monuments ; it was associated with the theme of farewell. Some historians believe it was also a gesture of peace by showing the right hand was not holding any weapons (dexios meaning right). On Roman gravestones we often see the deceased clasping hands with their spouses. Even if <i>Dexiosis </i>was one of the most common iconographic elements on Classical funerary monuments, its exact sense remains uncertain. </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/ACMA_1333_Samian_decree_2.JPG" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Hera &amp; Athena Handshaking&nbsp; 5th century BC</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Dexiosis_Petit_Palais_ADUT00349.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Attic white-ground red-figured lekythos, late 5th century BC</p><p><br /></p><p>For the Romans, the handclasp signified harmony, affinity, friendship, and loyalty. As the right hand was consecrated to the deity of fidelity, in scenes of a political nature the handclasp represented political concord at the conclusion of a contract. In the Antonine period, <i>dextrarum iunctio</i> became a symbol of the harmony of the imperial couple. <i>Dexiosis</i> reliefs are found on ancient coins and are they are intended to show bonds between two cities by shaking hands. </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/ArsameiaDexiosis.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>A relief of a <i>Dexiosis</i> between Antiochus I and Hercules</p><p><br /></p><p>A quick look at acsearch with the key words « clasping hands » refer us to more than 2500 examples of ancient coins depicting this theme ! Now here is the <b>CHALLENGE </b>: </p><p>show us your coins with <b>hands shaking</b> gesture...</p><p><br /></p><p>Mine :</p><p>&nbsp;Tiberius and Tyche clasping hands</p><p>&nbsp;RPC 2451</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1015855[/ATTACH] </p><p>Lucius Verus &amp; Marcus Aurelius clasping hands</p><p>RIC 1291</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1015856[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in