09-12-2013, 06:16 AM
Hi everyone,
I'd like to make a paludamentum like the ones shown in these photos, and I'm having a difficult time figuring out exactly what the overall shape and dimensions should be. I'm also having trouble understanding exactly how it should be folded and worn. I've tried to search and read everything on this site about cloaks and paludamentums, but I'm still having trouble. I'd greatly appreciate any help you can give me.
I'd like to make a cloak that looks and can be worn as shown in these photos. I really love how this red paludamentum looks, and how it doesn't appear too large and is worn where it only covers the left shoulder. I also like the length of both cloaks in these photos. I'm about 5' 7" tall, so I wonder what dimensions I would want in order to make it look like this.
I've read Cheyenne's and other people's posts, where it was mentioned that the paludamentum should be about 3.5m x 1.5m, and that it's basically cut as an elongated half-octagon; a squared-off half circle. I'm wondering if that would end up being much larger than the ones in these attached photos. I'm not going for perfect historical accuracy, but I do wonder whether the cloaks in these photos look correct for a paludamentum. If it should be an elongated half-octagon, I'm trying to figure out just what that should look like - the lengths and shapes of the various sections. One person posted that it's basically like three equilateral triangles, with each triangle having sides of 64" - does that sound right? That wouldn't quite have all of the sides and edges of a true half-octagon, but I can see how it's getting close to the same basic shape.
How is a paludamentum normally folded and worn? Do you fold over the shorter section lengthwise, and have that folded edge over your left shoulder? Or do you typically drape it over your left shoulder with the longest edge - unfolded, against your neck? I think I'm somewhat familiar with wearing a correct Roman toga (correct me if I'm wrong) but I'm confused as to how wearing the paludamentum or similar cloaks differs from wearing a toga. It sounds like a toga and paludamentum end up being similarly-shaped garments, although my understanding is that a toga is typically an elongated oval that's folded over about 1/3 along the long side, with that folded edge draped over your shoulder and against your neck. I made a large, hopefully authentic toga once and that's how I wore it - looked like most ancient Roman ones I've seen in sculptures, etc.
Also - is it possible and appropriate if I want to have the option to sometimes where this same paludamentum centered - either with a fibula centered in front of my neck (without armor or harness), or instead where it's attached to my harness on each shoulder and simply drapes down the middle of my back? I've seen lots of photos of Centurions and Generals wearing it like that - attached to their armor or harness at each shoulder, but I wasn't sure if it's actually the same shape and design of paludamentum, which they also sometimes wear over just one shoulder. THANK YOU very much for any help you can give me. I know I'm new here and I'm not very well-versed in these things; I hope no one minds. I'm not trying to make a garment that's absolutely period-correct. I just want to make a cloak similar to these paludamentums (or sagum) in these photos, which I can wear with a few different costumes. Thanks again very much,
Adam
I'd like to make a paludamentum like the ones shown in these photos, and I'm having a difficult time figuring out exactly what the overall shape and dimensions should be. I'm also having trouble understanding exactly how it should be folded and worn. I've tried to search and read everything on this site about cloaks and paludamentums, but I'm still having trouble. I'd greatly appreciate any help you can give me.
I'd like to make a cloak that looks and can be worn as shown in these photos. I really love how this red paludamentum looks, and how it doesn't appear too large and is worn where it only covers the left shoulder. I also like the length of both cloaks in these photos. I'm about 5' 7" tall, so I wonder what dimensions I would want in order to make it look like this.
I've read Cheyenne's and other people's posts, where it was mentioned that the paludamentum should be about 3.5m x 1.5m, and that it's basically cut as an elongated half-octagon; a squared-off half circle. I'm wondering if that would end up being much larger than the ones in these attached photos. I'm not going for perfect historical accuracy, but I do wonder whether the cloaks in these photos look correct for a paludamentum. If it should be an elongated half-octagon, I'm trying to figure out just what that should look like - the lengths and shapes of the various sections. One person posted that it's basically like three equilateral triangles, with each triangle having sides of 64" - does that sound right? That wouldn't quite have all of the sides and edges of a true half-octagon, but I can see how it's getting close to the same basic shape.
How is a paludamentum normally folded and worn? Do you fold over the shorter section lengthwise, and have that folded edge over your left shoulder? Or do you typically drape it over your left shoulder with the longest edge - unfolded, against your neck? I think I'm somewhat familiar with wearing a correct Roman toga (correct me if I'm wrong) but I'm confused as to how wearing the paludamentum or similar cloaks differs from wearing a toga. It sounds like a toga and paludamentum end up being similarly-shaped garments, although my understanding is that a toga is typically an elongated oval that's folded over about 1/3 along the long side, with that folded edge draped over your shoulder and against your neck. I made a large, hopefully authentic toga once and that's how I wore it - looked like most ancient Roman ones I've seen in sculptures, etc.
Also - is it possible and appropriate if I want to have the option to sometimes where this same paludamentum centered - either with a fibula centered in front of my neck (without armor or harness), or instead where it's attached to my harness on each shoulder and simply drapes down the middle of my back? I've seen lots of photos of Centurions and Generals wearing it like that - attached to their armor or harness at each shoulder, but I wasn't sure if it's actually the same shape and design of paludamentum, which they also sometimes wear over just one shoulder. THANK YOU very much for any help you can give me. I know I'm new here and I'm not very well-versed in these things; I hope no one minds. I'm not trying to make a garment that's absolutely period-correct. I just want to make a cloak similar to these paludamentums (or sagum) in these photos, which I can wear with a few different costumes. Thanks again very much,
Adam
