The Romans and Lefties
South Gubernator - Anna Kunkel
If you’re like me, you’re part of the 10% of the population that’s left-handed. Pen-smearing, graphite palms, and endless frustrations with 3-ring binders are universal struggles among the left-handed community. It feels as if everything in this world is catered towards right-handed folk, whether it be craft scissors or pencil grippers. If you’re familiar with the word “sinister,” you’ll likely know it derives from the Latin adjective “sinister, sinistra, sinistrum,” meaning left. As an English word, sinister doesn’t exactly have a positive connotation. The Romans didn’t really like left-handers. In fact, Romans wore their wedding rings on the third finger of their left-hand to ward off the
Plato condemned the “inept” mothers who failed to force their children to write with their right hand. But, it couldn’t be all bad. Some Romans actually viewed the left side as auspicious. Roman augurs would look towards the East, or left, when the sun rose. Signs from the East, or left, would then be deemed lucky! Regardless, the Romans’ anti-left attitude didn’t stop some of the civilization’s greatest leaders. Julius Caesar, the one who legally solidified the whole right-hand handshake thing, was left-handed himself. So, fellow lefties, embrace your “evil hand.” Persevere through the graphite palms and notebook rings. Maybe one day you’ll rule a republic, too!
“evils” of the left-hand! But why were Romans so opposed to lefties? Well, we can’t exactly be sure. However, historians have hypothesized that the bias trickled down from Greek influences. Many Greeks associated the right with “good” and the left with “bad.” Some believe this concept was molded by the Pythagorean principles, which established various sets of “opposites.” Right’s end of the set was accompanied by positive terms like “light” and “good.” Left didn’t get such a good deal, listed beside terms like “evil” and “darkness.” The belief was thus instilled in Greek culture and later Roman culture that being a lefty wasn’t all too great. Caesar forced acquaintances to shake with their right hand and
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