Paper
...The poor people, the slaves, rich, and the Emperor’s family all wore different clothes. The primarily available material of the time was wool, with linen available to a lesser extent. Stitching was done mainly by the women. The needles used were not of great quality and were unwieldy, therefore the garments tended to be quite simple. Button holes were not possible, and clothing was held together by a type of safety pin.
Everyone in the working class, including slaves, would wear a “Tunica” at all times, which was a one-piece linen or wool vest. This garment could be worn all day and did not interfere with work. The men’s tunic reached to the knees, and the woman’s longer, possibly reaching to the ground. In the cold of winter multiple tunics would be worn. Women wore long-sleeved tunics, and it was not until the third century that it became acceptable for men to wear tunics with long sleeves. A purple stripe on the tunic indicated membership to a particular order, such as a senator or someone of the equestrian order.
Over the tunic a large blanket draped over the body called a toga for men, and a stola for women, was worn. This blanket was in the shape of a semi circle, and could have been up to five and a half meters long and 2 meters wide. A garment of this size would have been quite cumbersome and difficult to manage gracefully. The toga was a symbol of citizenship, and was not worn by slaves. Therefore at a public engagement a toga was necessary for anyone who did not want to be seen as a slave or workman. The woman’s stola was very similar to the men’s toga, except it was rectangular in shape. A purple stripe lined the edge of the garment.
Romans also wore cloaks and other over-garments to protect against the weather. They were sometimes worn over the toga, but often replaced it. There were several different types of cloaks. The...
View Full Essay
