The ancient Romans had a sophisticated culture with developed styles of dress that served important social functions. While perhaps not as elaborate as modern fashions, the clothing of Rome revealed much about a person’s gender, social status and origins. Both wealthy citizens and average Romans took care with their appearance and attire, desiring to project the proper image through their garments. This article will explore some of the most common forms of traditional Roman clothing and what they signified.
The basic Roman outfit was comprised of simple, elegant pieces. For adult men, the fundamental garment was called the tunica. This was essentially a sleeveless knee-length top that could be layered if desired for warmth. Wealthier men sometimes wore an ankle-length linen version called a tunica palmatra. The tunic was worn alone or with added items like a toga – the signature long drape of cloth synonymous with Rome. Although impractical for work, the toga conferred high social rank on official occasions.
Celtic tunic
Under their tunics, males wore a subligaculum – a triangular loincloth providing coverage. Soldiers had a similar licolorum. Outerwear could involve a paenula cloak for travel. Footwear ranged from sandals to thick-soled caligae boots, with senators restricting themselves to cross-gaitered shoes called calcei. Simple tunics and loincloths remained standard working menswear for many careers like farming.
Thorsberg hose Ragnar
Women’s core attire was a stola – a dress or gown falling to the ankle. Wealth permitted ornate styles with dyes, embroidery and metal adornment. A palla shawl or cloak could overlap the stola. Married women signaled their status through the distinctive palla held in place by fibulae brooches. Younger unmarried girls wore a tunic and darker stolae. Slaves had plain versions of existing fashions without creative freedoms.
Certain luxurious fabrics like silk, damask and fine wool denoted high rank. Colors also made social impressions – the senatorial class restricting themselves to sober darker shades befitting their dignity and wisdom. Bright hues associated with licentious behavior were avoided. Even certain types of shoes or jewelry implied occupation from the familia urbana free citizens to the familia rustica peasantry.
Overall, Ancient Roman clothing systems effectively projected messages of identity through what one chose to wear each day. Simple, practical outfits remained practical and affordable for most, while sumptuous silks, metallic accessories and vivid dyes flaunted wealth and social standing. The fashions told a story beyond mere aesthetics, gaining deeper cultural meaning in their Roman contexts through centuries. Examining such dress traditions grants insight into this seminal civilization’s values and divisions.
