Culture & Civilization | Roman Clothing Flashcards
What was the basic garment in Roman clothing?
The basic garment was the tunica, or tunic. It was a simple shirt made of two pieces of cloth sewn together. The usual fabric was wool, but linen was also used if the owner could afford it. Length and decoration indicated social status - soldiers, slaves, and laborers wore a knee-length tunic, while those in professional and sedentary occupations might wear a longer tunic. In public, slaves, laborers, and craftsmen wore the tunic alone, with a simple woolen cloak for warmth when needed.
What type of amulet did children wear?
Children also wore the tunic alone, as well as the bulla, an amulet believed to guard against evil spirits?
What garment did the patrician wear over the tunic?
The patrician wore a toga over the tunic for public occasions. The toga was a semicircle of fine woolen fabric worn draped around the torso and over the shoulder. Only Roman citizens could wear the toga. Togas were either pure white or decorated according to age, occupation, and status. Senators and other Romans of distinction many have worn togas edged with purple, the ancient color of royalty and nobility. The toga, derived from an Etruscan robe, was impractical for many ordinary activities and was gradually superseded by other garments, but remained the court dress of the Empire.
What type of boot did the Roman soldier wear?
There was a variety of footwear, including sandals, boots, slippers, and a kind of shoe. The Roman soldier wore a kind of boot called caliga.
What were the three garments in the basic outfit for women?
The basic outfit for women consisted of three garments, derived in large part from Greek dress. The undergarment was a tunica. Over this she wore the stola, a straight ankle-length dress fastened at the shoulder with clasps. As an outer garment, she worte a draped cloak called a palla. For warmth, an outer cloak was worn. Girls wore the tunic alone.
What was the name of the decorated pin that upper-class women wore?
As jewelry, upper-class women wore necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, hair ornaments, and the important fibula, a decorated pin used to fasten cloaks and draped clothing. Footwear was sandals and shoes.
