Check(er)ed clothing in the Roman army, 1st C

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Hi

However, in one of your drawings (Pullo and Vorenus, Caesarian soldiers), you gave the centurion a paludamentum of plaid cloth. Is there any reason for this?

Yes, it was illustrating that in a campaign scenario I would envisage that normal supplies would be severely disrupted and that under those circumstances a Centurion might replace a worn out paludamentum with some locally looted material. Mark Antony returned from Gaul wearing Gallic clothing and footwear much to the disgust of Cicero. The ordinary soldiers on campaign undoubtedly replaced their clothing or repaired it with local material as well. The Republican supply system appears to have been a bit more ad hoc than the Imperial in any case.

Graham.

But if a (auxiliary) soldier would buy a Gallic coat/sagum in the nearby vicus/village, checkered cloth would be possible? I bought some before I posted my question, and I'm not going to throw it away. :lol: I'm desperately looking for an excuse to use it.