Clothing of Ancient Rome

The common materials for clothing in ancient Rome were linen, wool and silk. The most famous type of clothing worn in this ancient time in history is the toga. It was an important item of clothing for men and became a symbol of ancient Roman pride and culture. All Roman citizens, whether or not they were rich or poor, wore togas. However, slaves, foreigners in the cities and towns and those who had been banished for whatever reason were not allowed to wear a toga.

The toga was generally made from wool and draped the entire length of the body. The left arm was always covered by the cloth and the right arm was left uncovered. The only difference in togas was the color and any decoration that a person chose to wear since they were all made in the same design.

However, the style of the toga could be used to determine the social position of the wearer. Boys and men who came from well to do families wore all white togas from the time they were 14 years old. Roman senators and boys younger than 14 wore white togas with a purple edging. Men who were in mourning wore dark colored togas – usually gray or brown and a warrior in Ancient Rome wore a toga with red stripes. The toga of the emperor was purple and was embroidered in gold.

Under the toga, men wore a tunic, which they called a tunica. This could have sleeves or not and some reached to the knees, while others reached to the ankles. The toga was basically the garment worn when outdoors, so this tunic was what was worn when inside the home.

The pallium was another item of clothing that was important in ancient Rome. It was worn by men, women and children and basically consisted of a large rectangular piece of material that was very similar to a blanket. It was worn as a wrap.

It was not until after the Romans conquered the lands to the north that wearing leg coverings became popular in ancient Rome. This was because the barbarians wore leg breeches, which the Roman warriors found very attractive. However, they were mainly worn by the workers in the field and the soldiers and were scorned by those with official status.

Women in ancient Rome wore tunics made of linen as undergarments. The outer covering was known as the stola, which was a long robe with sleeves. It was made from wool and was draped to the body. When they went outside the home, women wore a wrap called a palla, which was arranged in such a way that it could be pulled up over the head to form a hood.

Men wore wide-brimmed hats to protect them from the sun. Women piled their long hair on top of their head in braids or wore it down in ringlets. All the citizens wore sandals and jewelry was elaborate, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and head wreaths. Some of the head wreaths were made of colourful flowers and vines.