Alexandra Croom - Roman Clothing and Fashion

ROMAN CLOTHING AND FASHION

ALEXANDRA CROOM

This edition published 2010.
This electronic edition published 2012.

Amberley Publishing
The Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 4EP

www.amberley-books.com

Copyright Alexandra Croom 2010, 2012

The right of Alexandra Croom to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-84868-977-0 (PRINT)
ISBN 978-1-4456-1244-7 (e-BOOK)

TEXT FIGURES

1 - The costume of goddesses

2 - Woman spinning

3 - Tunic forms

4 - A clothes press

5 - Tunics of the first and second centuries

6 - Tunics of the third and fourth centuries

7 - Tunic decorations

8 - Portrait of Stilicho

9 - Tunics

10 - Togas of the first to fourth centuries

11 - The Brothers sarcophagus

12 - Togas of the fifth and sixth centuries

13 - Short togas

14 - Mantles and cloaks

15 - Cloaks and capes

16 - Tombstone of Ares

17 - Leggings

18 - Puttee

19 - Loincloths

20 - Knitted sock

21 - Footwear

22 - Footwear

23 - Hairstyles of the first to third centuries

24 - Hairstyles of the third to sixth centuries

25 - Headwear

26 - Religious costumes

27 - Amulet

28 - Intaglios and finger-rings

29 - Stola

30 - Tombstone showing woman in a gap-sleeved tunic

31 - Gap-sleeved tunic fastenings

32 - Gap-sleeved tunic fastenings

33 - Short-sleeved tunics of the first and second centuries

34 - Short-sleeved tunics of the third century

35 - Dalmatics

36 - Tunic decorations

37 - Late forms of tunic

38 - Slaves with belted tunics

39 - Portrait of Serena and Eucharius

40 - Tunic with ornamented belt

41 - Mantle

42 - Fourth-century decorated mantle

43 - Venus wearing a breastband.

44 - Breastbands and briefs

45 - Socks

46 - Hairstyles of the first and second centuries

47 - Hairstyles of the second and third centuries

48 - Hairstyles of the third to sixth centuries

49 - Hats and headcoverings

50 - Freedwoman wearing cap

51 - Parasols and fans

52 - Sandal

53 - Sandals

54 - Wooden clogs

55 - Bridal and religious costumes

56 - Finger-rings and bracelets

57 - Necklace

58 - Babies in swaddling clothes

59 - Children on the Ara Pacis, Rome

60 - Tunics of young girls

61 - Hairstyle of young girl

62 - Tombstone with native and Roman costume

63 - Greek costume

64 - Syrian costume

65 - Judaean costume

66 - Egyptian costume

67 - North African costume

68 - Spanish costume

69 - The Gallic coat

70 - Romano-Gallic costume

71 - Romano-British costume

72 - Costume of the Rhine Valley

73 - Costume of Lower Germany

74 - Woollen clothing from a bog deposit

75 - Dacian costume

76 - Pannonian and Norican costume

77 - Pannonian and Norican hats

COLOUR PLATES

1 - The Emperor Justinian and his court

2 - The Empress Theodora and her court

3 - Men at a bakery

4 - Fourth-century hunters

5 - The method of putting on a third-century toga

6 - Reconstruction of a cape

7 - Reconstruction of the cape with added gusset

8 - Procession to baths, Piazza Armerina, Sicily

9 - Dead or wounded hunter

10 - Coin portraits showing the hairstyles of Emperors

11 - Reconstruction of a gap-sleeved tunic and stola

12 - Reconstruction of a gap-sleeved tunic

13 - Woman having her hair dressed

14 - Portrait of woman from Egypt

15 - Painted shroud from Egypt

16 - Family portrait in gold and glass

17 - Reconstruction of leather briefs

18 - Women exercising in briefs and breastbands

19 - Coin showing the hairstyles of Imperial women

20 - Jewellery of the first to third centuries

21 - Childs tunic from Egypt

22 - Tombstone of Regina

23 - Reconstruction of the tombstone of Regina

24 - Provincial male costume

25 - Provincial female costume

26 - Undyed wool

27 - Dyed wool

28 - First-century tunic

29 - First-century tunic

30 - Third-century tunic

31 - Third- to fourth-century tunic

32 - Fourth- to sixth-century tunic

33 - Decorated cloak

34 - Shoulder cape

35 - Hose

36 - Puttee

37 - Puttee

38 - Pannonian hat

39 - Gap-sleeved tunic

40 - Short-sleeved tunic

41 - Dalmatic

42 - Fourth- to sixth-century tunic

43 - Mantle

44 - Women with fan and parasol

45 - Tube-dress

46 - Brooch fastening the tube-dress

47 - Tube-dress

48 - Gallic coat

Thanks are due to Karen Dixon and Richard Underwood, without whom this book would never have been attempted. I must also thank the members of Cohors V Gallorum, and in particular Dominique Leslie and Philip Clark, for their help during research for this book, as well as all re-enactors and work colleagues with whom I have discussed costume over the years, whether they wanted to or not. Katherine Croom has most kindly used her expertise to produce the index, while Roger Oram provided me with some of the illustrations as well as useful advice. Thanks are also due to Christoph Reichmann of the Museum Burg Linn, Jenny Hall of the Museum of London and Caroline Imlah of Tyne and Wear Museums, for their help with information and illustrations. Last, but not least, I must thank Paul Bidwell and William Griffiths, who both kindly agreed to look over the text, and who provided me with both suggestions and corrections; any faults or mistakes remaining are the responsibility of the author.

In addition I need to thank the following for all their help with the second edition: Phil Clark, Peter Coppack, Kathy Croom, Karen Griffiths, Bill Griffiths, Aitor Iriate, Hannah-Jane Taskis and Jane Thompson, plus the re-enactment groups Cohors Quinta Gallorum and Cohors Prima Gallica. Many thanks!

The most common image of Roman costume is of a clean-shaven man, wearing a brilliant white toga long enough to sweep the ground. The image is correct for a small proportion of men, for a short length of time, in a distinct area of the Empire. In fact, Roman costume varied from country to country, and also invariably changed over time. It is a huge topic to study, and there are still many areas and subjects that need much more in-depth research or clarification. This book does not attempt to answer all the questions, but is intended to provide at least an introduction to this fascinating and complex topic.

This study will look mainly at the clothing worn during the years of the Roman Empire. As Rome was traditionally founded in the eighth century BC, there were at least 250 years of rule by the Kings and 500 years of the Republic before the Empire even came into existence. The Empire itself lasted for nearly 500 years in the West, and for even longer in the East, where it was gradually transformed into the Byzantine Empire of the medieval world.