This was not a fascist gesture, they insisted, but a “Roman salute.” Several posted scenes from the 2005-07 TV series Rome, which depicts Roman salutes, as evidence in support of their claim.

Elon Musk’s gesture has drawn comparisons to Roman salutes by right-wing fans. But, what exactly is one? - The salute became popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries in artworks and theatre ...