Late Sarmatian or early Alan costume

[Alanus]

Robert gives good stuff. I hadn't seen this illustration, but a similar one from Carthage... or wherever it was. Evidently tight trousers were popular. I might ad that by the late 4th and early 5th century, any "Sarmatian" holdover may have been influenced by Germanic tribes in the Hungarian Plain area. Early Sarmatian costume extented from the western Scythian culture, while Alanic costume was more stylistic as borrowed from the Sogdians, former neighbors and the closest in language to the Alans. So actually, we are speaking about two entirely different cultures: Sarmatians (western Iranian) and Alans (northeastern Iranian).

Somewhere I have a link to "Late Sogdian Costume," which I'll try to unearth. Boots appear to have heels. Kaftans were decorated in yellow, red, and white embroidery. I imagine the famous tall Saka hat was worn, just as it still is by the descendants of old neighbors, the Kyrgaz. Quite frankly, modern costumes from the old Alanic areas may reflect a combination of older Alanic and Hunnic tradition.

Evidently they dressed fairly spiffy, not your old barbarians in furs type. Emperor Gratian loved to wear Alanic clothes... until he was killed for it.

Alanus
A.J. the wimpy bowman