Cold Weather Gear

[Gaius Colletti]

Obviously now is probably not the most ideal time to start work on these, however I have an excellent coupon from a fabric store for a single piece of fabric that I want to put to good use. I want to make another tunic, but I figured while I have the coupon, maybe I should get enough fabric for undones and a sagum.

I know traditionally people usually use brown sagums, is there a particular source of why they should be brown. Would other colors (like brick red) be acceptable?

The same goes for undones, while I have the fabric I thought I would make an attempt to make a pair of socks. What are your guy's opinions on these sort of things?

[Caballo]

Re cold weather gear , Crispus has written an excellent article here http://www.romanarmy.net/coldweather.htm

Re colour (and much else) , I would recommend starting with Roman Military Clothing Vols. 1 and 2, Graham Sumner, Osprey and then move on to Graham's other work.

Socks can be many colours- personally, I use muted earthy colours, but surviving ones from Egypt show multiple colours. Can't find my pic at the moment!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

When you say Sagum, do you mean the hooded paenula cloak, or the square cloak you see folded on a centurions shoulder?
I have seen sagums in a wide variety of colour, which is the reason I ask. mile:
I have paenula in earthy brown, a very dark gray, and also a white one!

[attachment=4006]Darkcloak.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=4005]Browncloak.jpg[/attachment]

[Gaius Colletti]

I mean the rectangular sagum that folds over the shoulders.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

OK, I've seen them in all sorts of colours, blue reds green, some even tartan/plaid..
I have a red one. Also a Gray one with a diamond twill weave...wanting a blue one...

[Graham Sumner]

Byron wrote:

When you say Sagum, do you mean the hooded paenula cloak, or the square cloak you see folded on a centurions shoulder?
I have seen sagums in a wide variety of colour, which is the reason I ask.

The sagum is not square but more letter envelope shaped and is brooched on the right shoulder. The paenula is the paenula a hooded cloak and the cloak draped over the centurion's left shoulder is a paludamentum, also not square. Byron you should be made to stay on an oil rig in the North Sea for six months with only a copy of 'Roman Military Dress' to read as punishment! :grin:


To confuse things there are other cloaks with other names which are very similar to all of those above. We may not be able to tell the difference and probably Romans could not either, they just liked to cause problems for re-enactors 2000 years in the future! :-D

Byron. When you say you have seen sagums in a wide variety of colours do you mean you have seen a variety of re-constructions or a variety of original sources? Your Paenula (lower picture) does look good though and a decent colour!

Matt wrote:

I know traditionally people usually use brown sagums, is there a particular source of why they should be brown. Would other colors (like brick red) be acceptable?


Hi Matt. I put all the colour evidence for tunics, cloaks and anything else I could find in 'Roman Military Dress'.

Graham.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I can only go by the reconstructions I have seen...such as in you books , Oh Esteemed one! :mrgreen:
However, as my copy is miles away, and possibly still boxed up, I once again must blame my
fuddled memory and distraction of being on an oilrig miles from anywhere, but i was sure there were
several colours of cloaks in your book! mile:

As to the paludamentum, well, I must confess seem to have forgotten that altogether...long word, short on brain cells. :oops:

But yes, I do seem to recall the colours were varied in your books.

Square/rectangular...only an inch seperates them! :-P

[Gaius Colletti]

Byron wrote:


Hi Matt. I put all the colour evidence for tunics, cloaks and anything else I could find in 'Roman Military Dress'.

You've won me over Mr. Sumner, I'll be picking up a copy of your book soon. There are too many questions I have about military dress that no doubt your book will be essential for. Thanks

[Graham Sumner]

Matt wrote:

You've won me over Mr. Sumner, I'll be picking up a copy of your book soon. There are too many questions I have about military dress that no doubt your book will be essential for. Thanks

Thanks Matt, I hope you enjoy it.

Graham.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Graham Wrote...

Your Paenula (lower picture) does look good though and a decent colour!

Thanks Graham, I got both of them from Jorge Mambrilla.
The darker one is a slightly heavier material, but the weave in the brown one is quite good and looks authentic.
I can't remember now, but is your second book out yet?

[Graham Sumner]

Hi Byron

My second book was out nearly ten years ago! :wink:

Do you mean the second volume of 'Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier'? If so,...no! :???:

Will you be at Chester? The way things are going you may need cold weather clothing, so bring some extra tunics!

Graham.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

:roll: Yes I meant the second one on Roman clothing! :lol:

I am hoping to get there. Yes, extra clothing, cloaks, tent, furs....
Italy sounds so much more inviting lol :-?

[Robert Vermaat]

Italy sounds so much more inviting lol :-?

Up in the hills it's not..

[Florian]

Hello,
after having finished my own Vindolanda socks, Damendorf/Thorsberg-trouser and Thorsberg-like-tunic I am about to built my own paenula but can't decide on the thickness of the wool. Maybe the romans and barbarians here with more experience can give me some hints.

I could buy felted wool (tabby weave) that is 1 mm thick and feels like you could build a nice winter/spring/autumn tunica with it. Put against the light you can still see some light coming through.

Or I could buy heavy felted wool (also tabby weave) which is nearly 2mm strong, feels arrow-proof and blocks all sunlight. A paenula build with this wool could feel a little bit stiff. Stuffed into a cube form the cube would be 20x20x20cm.

I tend to buy option 2, because I like it warm, especially at night. Or is heavy felted wool to much, because there is only literary evidence for fulling/tucking/walking in roman/west-european-barbarian areas and we don't know the exact quality the romans could achieve?

Maybe you can express your own experiences and help me.

Greetings
Flo