Halloween will soon be upon us so I decided to talk about easy to make historical costumes. Today I will start with Roman/Greek period pieces, beginning with the roman tunic.
The origin of the sterotypical red Roman tunic is an interesting one. Greeks, specifically the Spartans, were known for wearing the color red into battles so that their opponents would never see them bleed. It is quite an ingenious idea really, so it is not surprising that the Romans soon adopted the same tradition. Before going into battle, the Romans issued red tunics to their soldiers to be worn underneath the Roman armor. Soon thereafter, the English chose the exact same color for their military forces. I am sure that the average British soldier had no idea that their famed name of ”Redcoats” had orgins back to ancient Greece and Roman replicas.
Historically, the Roman tunic was made from two long pieces of wool, on equal length, sewn together on either side and at the shoulders. The tunic was then belted with cloth, roping or leather to create the look we all see in the Gladiator movies. The materials for the tunic were typically undyed for everyday use, but when worn by the Roman soldiers, the wool was stained a bright red to be worn into battle. A very interesting fact is that the higher the social status of the wearer, the finer the wool. The highest diplomats in ancient Rome, the senators, doned purple stripes on their tunics to display status.
Roman tunics are fun to wear and easy to make. More talk on how to construct a Roman tunic and Roman solider costume to come.
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