2 - The belly as a sign – ancient physiognomics

Summary

Introduction

In most languages the human body or parts of it can be referred to symbolically as well. The body becomes a vehicle for describing attitudes, characters and lifestyle. Furthermore, body language is to a great extent dependent upon the culture. Behind the use of the human body or parts of it as shorthand for various kinds of character lies the conviction that some sort of correspondence exists between body and character. We have already seen (chap. 1.4) that Paul considered bodily matters as a boundary marker, thus creating signs of identity for believers vis-à-vis paganism. This leads us to consider ancient theories about the sign-nature of the body. In the Graeco-Roman world it was the task of ancient physiognomics to point out and to describe the correlation between the bodily appearance and the inner character of a person.

Physiognomics was a quasi-science devoted to working out methods and signs indicative of the relationship between physique and character. According to Elizabeth C. Evans, this ancient science ‘enjoyed a far greater popularity among Greek and Roman writers, especially those of later Greek society and Roman Empire, than has generally been supposed. As a quasi-science, it always bore a close relationship to the science of medicine; as an art, to the practice of rhetoric. It has also an obvious kinship with the field of ancient portraiture.