annoying belt tongue

[mcbishop]

I was wondering if the Romans used a system to keep the tongues from belts in place. Has there been found any proof for the use of a narrow band attached to the belt next to the buckle like on our modern belts?

I assume by 'tongue' you mean excess belt material, as distinct from the buckle tongue.

The Rhineland tombstones clearly show that excess belt material was just allowed to hang free (sometimes with a terminal pendant). In fact, this may have been the origin of what developed into the 'apron'. There is detailed (verging on terminally boring) discussion of the 'apron' (and its origin) in this article (a PDF) which includes close-up drawings and photos of many examples. Here's Annaius Daverzus to show you his unfettered belt:



By the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, when equipment started to change, belt excess got longer and started to be tucked in and looped over the belt and given a decorated terminal. Decorated terminals still turn up in Dominate equipment, so they were quite clearly diachronically happy to let it dangle... so to speak.

Mike Bishop