NOBLES, among the Romans, were such as had the jus imaginum, or the right of using the pictures or statues of their ancestors; a right which was allowed only to those whose ancestors had borne some curule office, that is, had been curule ædile, censo, prætor, or consul. For a long time, none but the patricii were the nobiles, because no person but of that superior rank could bear any curule office; hence in Livy, Sallust, &c. nobilitas is used to signify the patrician order, and so opposed to plebs. To make the true meaning of nobiles still more clear, let it be observed, that the Roman people were divided into nobiles, novi, and ignobiles. Nobiles were they who had the pictures, &c. of their ancestors; novi were such as had only their own; ignobiles were such as had neither. See Jus Imaginis.
The Roman nobility, by way of distinction, wore a half moon upon their shoes, especially those of patrician rank.
The Grecian nobility were called Εὐαρίστοι, as being descended from those old heroic ancestors so famous in history. Such were the Praxiergidae, Etrobutidae, Alcmaeonidae, &c. all which had many privileges annexed to their quality; amongst which was this, that they wore grasshoppers in their hair as a badge of nobility.