05-01-2010, 08:27 PM
Quote:He wears what appears to be a sagum. I thought sagums were a military item of clothing not worn by civilians. Certainly, he cannot be a slave with clavii?
Now who is being rigid!
A sagum is simply a rectangular cloak of which there are many types with many different names. It is very hard to distinguish them by artistic representations alone. The paenula cloak is worn by many military types but is also seen worn by civilians, The tunic worn hitched up at the waist is also seen worn by civilian workers as is the tunic with clavi. Servants (slaves) pouring drinks, serving food etc..wear tunics with clavi.
Poor people and poor slaves possibly did not wear anything better than rags.
A green tunic is rare and with an orange red cloak that might suggest some wealth perhaps on the owner of the estate represented in the mosaic who provided the clothes for his workers. On the other hand It could be a veteran or someone else. It is also common to suggest that the artist does not know what he is talking about! :wink:
Graham
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
