Whether born of the necessity to persuade crowds in Ancient Rome, or to be able to understand one another during times of foreign occupation–or even to compete for attention in a densely populated city– the bottom line is indisputable: Italians have been using gestures to communicate for centuries. And as far as I know, they have no plans to stop; grazie al cielo!

One of the most brilliant communicators in all of world history was Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC-43 BC).  A lawyer, philosopher, statesman, literary genius, and unquestionably one of the most eloquent orators of the Roman Republic, Cicero was sharp, knowledgeable, and verbally persuasive.