10-23-2005, 09:24 PM
No doubt the Roman army adopted native clothing styles, if for no other reason than that they depended on native production for the supply of many quotidian items. However, Italian clothing traditions also has a viable answer to winter temperatures (winter in Germany or Britain is closer in nature to what you experience in the Alpine foothoills or Illyria than the Arctic conditions that could be encountered in the Bosphoran client states or Dacia).
First of all, layering is important. Suetonius reports Augustus wore no less than five tunics, being unusually sensitive to cold. From a weekend spent in Roman dress in Helsinki in January, I can attest that three layers (linen undertunic, light wool tunic, medium-weight wool cloak) are fine for a few hours' exposure to normal winter temperatures, though I wouldn't have wanted to spend the night under canvas in that stuff. And no matter what the contemporary moralists think, a long-sleeved tunic is perfectly fine and will not detract from your masculinity half as much as frostbite will
As cloaks go, I found my blanketweight paernula more comfortable than my lighter, but larger sagum, but both did good duty. I especially appreciated the hood and would assume that either one such or a cap would have been worn in winter. Woolen socks and leg wrappings also proved warm and snug, though trousers are more practical and don't need regular re-tying. Nonetheless, the assumption that the Roman army needed to adopt local winter clothing is an oversimplification.
Of course, if you want to go that way you could take your cues from civilian Rhineland grave monuments such as the Igel column and make yourself a wide, long-sleeved 'Gallic' tunic, trousers, leg wraps, and a woolen or fur hooded cape. I am in the process of making these and may be able to tell you more about how they stand up to winter come next spring.
First of all, layering is important. Suetonius reports Augustus wore no less than five tunics, being unusually sensitive to cold. From a weekend spent in Roman dress in Helsinki in January, I can attest that three layers (linen undertunic, light wool tunic, medium-weight wool cloak) are fine for a few hours' exposure to normal winter temperatures, though I wouldn't have wanted to spend the night under canvas in that stuff. And no matter what the contemporary moralists think, a long-sleeved tunic is perfectly fine and will not detract from your masculinity half as much as frostbite will
As cloaks go, I found my blanketweight paernula more comfortable than my lighter, but larger sagum, but both did good duty. I especially appreciated the hood and would assume that either one such or a cap would have been worn in winter. Woolen socks and leg wrappings also proved warm and snug, though trousers are more practical and don't need regular re-tying. Nonetheless, the assumption that the Roman army needed to adopt local winter clothing is an oversimplification.
Of course, if you want to go that way you could take your cues from civilian Rhineland grave monuments such as the Igel column and make yourself a wide, long-sleeved 'Gallic' tunic, trousers, leg wraps, and a woolen or fur hooded cape. I am in the process of making these and may be able to tell you more about how they stand up to winter come next spring.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!
Volker Bach
Volker Bach
