And says to the bartender "5 beers, please".
Joke Poo: The Binary Banker
A Silicon Valley coder walks into a bank and holds up one finger.
The teller, jaded after years of dealing with tech bros, sighs and says, “Oh, let me guess, you want 1024 dollars?”
The coder rolls his eyes. “No, I want two dollars! I’m optimizing my budget!”
Alright, let’s dissect this Roman legionary joke.
Elements of the Joke:
- Character: A Roman legionary, immediately conjuring images of soldiers, disciplined armies, and the Roman Empire.
- Setting: A bar, a modern-day establishment that sharply contrasts with the ancient Roman setting. This juxtaposition creates initial humor.
- Setup: The legionary raises two fingers, a seemingly simple action.
- Punchline: The legionary intends to order five beers, revealing that he is using Roman numerals (II = 2, but easily misinterpreted as a gesture). This is the core of the joke’s humor, based on a cultural misunderstanding and wordplay.
Analysis:
The joke works because it relies on our knowledge (or presumed knowledge) of Roman numerals and the image of a legionary out of his element. The humor comes from the surprise reveal, the unexpected application of an ancient system in a modern setting, and the legionary’s obliviousness to the potential for confusion.
Comedic Enrichment:
Let’s build on this. Here’s a new “Did You Know?” observation to accompany the joke, adding another layer of humor:
Did you know: Roman numerals weren’t actually used for calculations by Roman legionaries! They were primarily used for record-keeping, inscriptions, and decorative purposes. For arithmetic, Romans used an abacus – a kind of calculator. So, our legionary in the bar is not only misunderstanding modern bar etiquette, but he’s also severely underutilizing math practices of the day. Perhaps the bartender should ask if he needs help calculating the tip on his abacus before pouring those “V” beers. Also, maybe the legionary is an elite Praetorian Guard who didn’t do “lowly” calculations.
Alternative Joke Idea:
A centurion strides into a bar, orders a drink, and then complains to the bartender, “This water tastes like chlorine! Can you believe the aqueducts are still having maintenance issues after two millennia?”
(This joke plays on the Roman’s engineering prowess with aqueducts, their water quality concerns, and the absurdity of them still being relevant centuries later)