Roman Noses

[M. Porcius Cato]

People commonly refer to an aquiline nose as a being a "Roman nose", but what exactly is Roman about it? Among the portraits we have of Romans, I can only think of one fellow with a decidedly "Roman" nose, and that's my namesake (look to the left). So where did the idea come from that Romans had such substantial schnozen?

 

The earliest mention of one that I can find (1832) in the Oxford English Dictionary? refers to a horse as being Roman-nosed, not a person. Is it possible that there was an Italian breed of horses or other animal that was distinctive for its peculiar proboscis?

 

The Online Etymology Dictionary says Roman nose dates back to 1624, but it gives no source.

 

Anybody have any more information about where the idea got started?

[Favonius Cornelius]

Interesting question MCP!

 

At first, I thought back in the day that a Roman nose was as you say, large and straight bridged like Cato's. Later I heard from other people that the 'Roman nose' was more suppose to be the large nose but with something of bend downward in the center (aquiline as you say I guess). I've actually noticed this sort of nose on many coins of Emperors and others. I can't help but wonder if that is where the term is from. Here are some examples:

 

http://www.historyforsale.co.uk/roman%20coins/R4.jpg

 

http://rosenblumcoins.com/files/img/35b/0074.JPG

 

http://dougsmith.ancients.info/hadfobr.jpg

 

http://members.aol.com/akropolis3/VespJudaeaCaptaDen2.jpg

 

 

Course, you can find just about any kind of nose on a Roman coin, but these 'Roman noses' are familiar.

[Ursus]

The only thing I know of the subject is that I have the dubious distinction of having the infamous Roman nose grace my face. I would like to think it lends me some patrician dignity.

[docoflove1974]

Question: how many of the 'royal'/emperor busts have said 'Roman noses'?

Edited October 1, 2006 by docoflove1974

[caldrail]

Male noses tend to increase in size as we get older, at least for us europeans, and since people in power would often be more mature a large nose might be a noticeable feature.

 

Thats just conjecture though.

[miguel]

I look at some Chinese fortune-telling websites and find that a person has an aquiline nose is selfish, arrogant, clever but sly, and is very dangerous that he would harm the others in order to advantage himself. Sounds really bad, but I wonder should a ruler be like this? It might help in some special political situations, perhaps?

[Aurelianus]

Question: how many of the 'royal'/emperor busts have said 'Roman noses'?

My understanding of a roman nose is that it is big, with a steepening of the angle at about half way down, few of the busts/coins i just looked at actualy showed that. The Flavians seem to have had archetypal Roman noses; three of the links Favonius posted show a Flavian.

 

I look at some Chinese fortune-telling websites and find that a person has an aquiline nose is selfish, arrogant, clever but sly, and is very dangerous that he would harm the others in order to advantage himself. Sounds really bad, but I wonder should a ruler be like this? It might help in some special political situations, perhaps?

The right qualities for a good ruler are not neccissaraly traits you would want to find in your best friend. I would have to agree though that arrogance has no use.

[The Augusta]

How fascinating! I have never thought of the Roman nose as being aquiline as such. My idea of a Roman nose (passed on to me from my mother, who also believed it) is one which does not have an indent under the brow in profile. A bit hard to explain in writing, but if you think of a man or woman's profile in which the nose forms a continuous downward line from the forehead, there you have it. It's more to do with the way the nose joins the forehead than the actual shape or curve.

 

Of course, my mother wasn't known for her accuracy!

[CiceroD]

I think that the definitions are one in the same Augusta

 

"Roman-Nosed" really means a convex profile right?

 

any Roman nose would have to join the forehead in the way you just described for it to be convex

look at he wikipedia page for "hooknose"

Dont try "Roman Nose" that will take you to an American Indian Chief

[spittle]

Quote from Brian DePalma's 'The Untouchables'.

Scene setter:

A lawyer and Capone crony has just tried to slip an envelope of bribe money into Elliott Ness's (Kevin Costner) hand. Ness calls the rest of his team into his office and throws the envelope at the 'baddy' he then says:

"In ancient Rome if a person was found guilty of attempting to bribe a public official he had his NOSE cut off, he was then sowed into a sack with a wild animal and thrown into the river"

[M. Porcius Cato]

Quote from Brian DePalma's 'The Untouchables'.

Scene setter:

A lawyer and Capone crony has just tried to slip an envelope of bribe money into Elliott Ness's (Kevin Costner) hand. Ness calls the rest of his team into his office and throws the envelope at the 'baddy' he then says:

"In ancient Rome if a person was found guilty of attempting to bribe a public official he had his NOSE cut off, he was then sowed into a sack with a wild animal and thrown into the river"

 

As much as I'd hate to dispute Elliot Ness, I can't stand Kevin Costner, so here goes: he actual penalty described is slightly more mild than the real penalty, which involved being sewn up with three wild animals. Best I recall, one of Cicero's clients was facing this penalty (which was for parricide, not bribery), and though Cicero got the client off, the client returned the favor by fingering Cicero to that brutal thug Antony who had Cicero killed. Allegedly, Cicero had jested that the acquittal he acheived for his client was a blessing for the wild beasts...