Senatorial Tunics

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete, does anyone know if the 3 inch wide purple clavi stripes on a senatorial tunic ran from shoulder to hem on <em>both</em> front and back sides ? Or were they only on the front ?<br>
<br>
Thanks. Valete,<br>
<br>
-Theo<br>
<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Theo,<br>
<br>
If the clavi were woven into the fabric, it would be most logical that they ran on the back in the same way as on the front of the tunic.<br>
<br>
All tunics I have seen either depicted in art or surviving were decorated on the back in exactly the same way as on the front. This goes for the highly decorated Late Roman tunic as well as for earlier ones, although I haven't seen too many of the latter, mostly artistic images of sporting events.<br>
<br>
So I suppose that I could say there is a very high chance that indeed the clavi ran from shoulder to hem on both front and back sides, aye.<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
valerius/Robert <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Avete!<br>
<br>
Yes, the clavi should be both front and back, no matter what rank. That's how the surviving tunics from En Gedi are, for one thing. (Jewish law was pretty particular about the clavi being properly aligned at the shoulder seam!)<br>
<br>
Remember that tunics were woven sideways, so that there was a selvage edge (the finished edges of the fabric) at top and bottom. The cut edges would be at the sides. So the clavi would be woven horizontally, running from selvage to selvage, then the panels were turned 90 degrees and sewn together. This means that it was pretty easy to weave the clavi different distances from each other! Presumably a Senator wouldn't have to worry about his clavi matching up, but a lower-class grunt might.<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete, thanks a lot everyone for your detailed answers. That helps a lot. I'm going for the look of a tribune/legate/consul from the 1st century AD.<br>
<br>
Valete.<br>
<br>
-Theo <p></p><i></i>