Costume of ancient Rome

The clothing under the ancient Rome are in particular the Fibule, the Toge, the Stola, the braies.

Raw materials

Fibers

The Romans used several different types of Fiber S. The Laine probably was used, because it was easily available and relatively easy to prepare. The flax and the hemp were also used to create the fabrics, even if their preparation is more complicated than that of wool. There is evidence that they used the Coton, but more rarely. The Soie, imported China was also known.

These fibers, of different nature, were to be prepared various manners. According to Forbes, the wool of sheep contained around 50% of lubricating impurities, the flax fibers and hemp 25% of impurities, silk approximately 19 to 25%, but the cotton, purest of all the textiles contains of them only 6%.

The most used fiber, the wool, was surely the first type of turned fiber. The sheep of Tarentum were famous for the quality of their wool however the Romans did not cease trying to improve the races by crossing. The work of wool was carried out by the lanarii pectinarii . The urine collected in the latrines was used for the degreasing of wool (and treatment of leather). The preparation of the flax and hemp is relatively similar and was described by Pline Old the. It is necessary for harvest, to immerse them, remove the bark and to expose fibers. Once dry, the fibers must be broken mechanically (by a mallet) then it should be smoothed. These fibers were then woven. The flax and hemp are very resistant and solid fibers.

Silk and cotton were imported of China and India, respectively. Silk rare and expensive and was reserved for richest and was carried by the women.

The Romans were to turn their fibers with a manual Quenouille. They at least used iron alum as fixer and one knows that they used the Murex brandaris like red Teinture, color of the emperor. A more current dyeing was the Indigo which made it possible to obtain colors of the yellow to blue. The Garance, still cheaper made it possible to obtain red. According to Pline Old color noirâtre was preferred with a reddish color. The Yellow, obtained starting from the saffron, was expensive and was reserved for clothing of married and with the Vestale S. the number of the colors was thus lower than today.

The archaeological discoveries show Greek vases depicting the art of the Tissage. The ancient authors mention the art of the weaving and the production of fibers. In addition certain fabrics survived of the hundreds, even of the thousands of years. In addition, as clothing is necessary, the samples discovered are many and varied. These fabrics often provide the most invaluable information on the techniques employed, on the dyeings used, the nature of the grounds of origin of fibers and thus on trade route used, the climate, etc the historical research in the field is very active because they make it possible to include/understand much aspect of the life of the Romans.

The fabrics employed were the same ones as in Greece, but the techniques of weavings had improved and the fabrics of flax and wools were of a larger smoothness.

The Tannery

The Romans could obtain flexible Cuir, and hard leather (by making it boil) to create armours. They could dye their leathers. Their tools resembled those of the Moyen-âge. They knew two techniques of Tannage of which mineral tanning.

Leather was also used to make shoes of two types; the Sandal S and the Boot S.

The Romans seldom employed skins of Chèvre S, Porc S or Mouton S especially or wild animals as the stag S. They preferred to use the leather of the most current animals: bovines. Thicker and more vigorous leather was the same one used to make soles.

Types of clothing

The vestimentary codes were complex and were to reflect the social class, the sex and language of the quidam.

Number of clothing worn to Rome were similar to those carried to Greece at the same time except for the properly Roman Toge. To the O C the toga is plain-sex and without reference to row. Only the quality of the matter distinguished the togas from the rich person of that of the poor. The higher classes adorn togas of the finest wool in its natural color, whereas those of the lower classes out of coarse fabrics or were done of a thin felt. Then, the women carry Stola S of a great simplicity and followed their Greek equivalents more or less. They were made up of two fabric rectangles joined together on one on the long sides by Fibule S, pins, and later, buttons, so that the fabric fell right in front. Over the stola, came the Palla, an oblong part of fabrics which one could carry in coat alone or coat with cap, or with the end passed on the shoulder and the other draped on the opposite arm.

The Romans wore underclothing, a simple bent rectangle tubes some and pinned on the shoulders like a chiton. The Strophium is another undergarment.

The Shoe S

A typical Sandale Roman ( calceus or calceolus for the women) is composed of a leather sole and a long lace which is rolled up to the top of the leg of the carrier. A typical Roman shoe always leaves exposed part of the foot. Starting from these two categories, one found very many models. The majority of the specific models of Roman shoes come from Greece. It is supposed that the shoes of women are recognized by the smoothness and the lightness of their leather. The Romans invented the Chaussette S for their soldiers, who were to fight in north. One counts:

the baxa , a light sandal carried by the intellectuals
the carbatina , a shoe of peasant manufactured in only one leather part
the caliga , shoe of the soldiers
the cothurns and the crepida , used by the actors.
the pero , boot for the agricultural work
the sandalium or obstrigilium , sandal for the women
the phaecasium , shoe white of the Eastern priests
the sculponaeae are Sabot S
the soccus , slipper without thin strap for the interior carried by men and women
the solea , slipper with thin strap

Clothing of pageantry

the Toga praetexta, toga bordered of band of crimson carried by the child and the Magistrate S at the time of the official ceremonies.
the toga picte ( Toga picta or toga palmata ) toga crimson bordered of gold used by the generals at the time of their triumphs.

the Laena is a dress of pageantry of the Roman Religion carried by the king and the Flamines at the time of the Sacrifice S.

trabée ( Trabea ) is a toga of pageantry. Entirely crimson it is carried by the statues of the Gods or the Emperors. Safran, it is carried by the Augure S, white with band crimson, it is carried by the Consul S at the time of the public festivals and by the knights at the time of the Transvectio .

the Crocota is a ladies' garment color saffron carried by the priestesses of Cybèle

See too

History of hemp
History of silk
History of the wool
Roman economy, Agriculture of ancient Rome, Fuller (trade)
History of the costume
Costume of the ancient world

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