Roman gladiators weren't meant to be killed in the arena during combat, as they were considered expensive property. Many of them knew each other from the stables.

However, when an emperor decreed life or death for a fallen gladio, he would signify with the thumb.

The thumb DOWN signified "LIFE" and the victorious gladio was to thrust his sword harmlessly into the ground.

The thumb UP signified "DEATH" and the winning warrior was to thrust his sword upward through the heart of the losing combatant.

This practice was somehow mixed in translation from Latin or ancient Greek and this reversal began appearing in Renaissance literature and illustrations, persisting to this day.

Time flies: "I, Claudius" is half a century old this year and "Gladiator" premiered 26 years ago.

"Slay him."

Good Morning Doc Sarvis:

A believable anecdote from Sean Phillips and a coincidence about her obit, "I, Claudius," and my OP about the benefits of immigration.

Shakespearean actors would have read or acted in Coriolanus, Othello, Titus Andronicus, and Julius Caesar, and be accustomed to the costumes and archaic practices. But these thespians probably didn't read the historical books about that era, like "I, Claudius." When would they have the time or inclination?

The last serious British production to win an award was Oliver! in 1969. Comedies and Dr Who may have been the zeitgeist in Britain from 1970 to 1976. So, the cast didn't take this show seriously. GT British Skull would know more about those nuances.

The cast of Casablanca also did not know that their movie would become a classic in the top ten.

Quite the opposite with Star Trek. When the last scene was filmed in Jan 1969, everybody knew they created something special. Five months later the entire cast would watch the moon landing.

I forgot about the British Upstairs, Downstairs from 1971 to 1975 which was a serious show.

I bet some of the actors slid over to "I, Claudius" in 1976 to make a quid.