Ancient Roman Clothing
Symbolic Styles and Colors That Put a Roman in His Place
The clothing worn by the Ancient Romans was highly symbolic, showcasing the person's social class, wealth, occupation, and age.
The Ancient Romans were very much about appearances. They liked their buildings big, and their colors vibrant, in order to depict to everyone around them just what their place was in society and the rest of the world. This was especially true in their clothing. The clothing worn by a Roman was dictated by his/her social status, gender, age, and occupation. Unlike the Greeks, who all wore varying styles of a uniform type of garment, the story of a Roman was written all over his or her garments. Garments varied by style, pattern, color, and adornments, indicating his/her place (or lack thereof) in the Empire.
Roman Men
For the men of Rome, there were two basic types of garments: the tunica and the toga. Both were made of spun wool, but that is where the similarities end. Indeed, a Roman wearing a tunica would have surely felt his place in society among the ornately colored and decorated togas.
The tunica was basically a knee-length, short-sleeved shirt that was belted at the waist. It was a comfortable garment, worn largely by the plebians, slaves, and freedmen, though some higher-class citizens would wear them on occasion (often as an undergarment). A tunica would have provided more room to move for working outdoors, and would have been cooler in the hot summer months. The tunica was often undyed (white) and unadorned. Men who were member of the equestrian class (horsemen) and some Senators would wear tunics that would have been simply adorned with purple striping, obviously to distinguish them from the plebs and slaves.
The toga was thought of as the official garment of Rome, having been worn originally by Etruscan men and women. By the time of the Republic, the toga was exclusively worn by male Roman citizens. However, there was one population of women that wore togas, namely prostitutes. Roman prostitutes, ironically, wore togas to denote their lower status in the Empire (prostitutes, though often rich, were not highly though of) just as Roman men wore them to showcase their high social positions.
The basic toga was constructed out of a large white sheet of wool (approximately nine yards in length). It could be dyed in various colors, or constructed into several different styles, many of which were quite elaborate. There were several types of togas, worn by different populations of Roman citizens.
Roman boys
Roman boys wore white, knee-length tunicas that featured a dark red border. Many boys also wore a bulla, which was a pouch attached to a chain worn around the neck, which would have contained various protective charms. When a boy turned 16 or 17, he was declared a man and citizen, and he would have changed into a solid white tunic, or the toga virilis.
Roman Women
Unmarried Roman women wore a tunic that was very similar to the Greek chiton. The tunic had shorter sleeves, was belted, and was adorned with pins that helped shape the garment into different styles. The color and fabric of the tunic depended on a Roman woman’s status. Married Roman women wore a stola, a looser type of tunic, which was long and sleeveless with straps at the shoulders, and gathered at the waist. A shawl, or a pulla, was worn by all Roman women over the hair. Covering the head was customary for Roman women making their way out in public.
All Romans wore shoes, commonly sandals, which varied in type and style depending on purpose and activity.
Roman women loved jewelry, and they wore necklaces, earrings, pins, rings, and bracelets fashioned out of gold and inlaid with stones such as lapis or pearls. Jewelry was not acceptable for men, except for a personalized signet ring worn in order to seal documents with a wax stamp.
Men and women alike in Rome wore hairpieces, the men to cover bald spots, and the women to thicken and lengthen their hair for the popular ornate upswept hairstyles. It seems that appearances, and especially vanity for the upper classes, was the ultimate way to prove wealth, status, and power in Ancient Rome.
Sources consutled:
"Ancient Roman Clothing." Retrieved from http://www.crystalinks.com/romeclothing.html on 31 May, 2007.
"Ancient Roman Clothing." Retrieved from http://www.unrv.com/culture/ancient-roman-clothing.php on 1 June 2007.
"Roman Clothing." Retrieved from http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/clothing.html on 31 May 2007.
