Toga of the average citizen during the early principate?

[Anonymous]

I'm reading Lilian Wilson's book, "The Roman Toga", and I can't help wonder whether the average citizen during the 1st and early 2nd century would of worn a toga as elaborate as the huge imperial types. For everyday business in the local forum what would be the standard for dress? Would the much more practical Republican togas have continued to be used into Imperial period? Would a toga like those shown on the Ara Pacis, with the addition of the sinus, be saved for ceremonial occasions, or was that an everyday toga? <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

I thought the Roman toga was a mark of a male citizen, not that of just the upper classes. Togaman would probably know that best. I thought even plebs wore togas. <p>Legio XX <br>
Caupona Asellinae</p><i></i>

[Carlton Bach]

According to A.T. Croom (Roman Clothing and Fashion), and underpinned by pretty good evidence, the todga seems to have been more of a status garment. It was ideologically turned into the badge of Romanness in the Augustan era, but it seems that most people who didn't have to attend public functions didn't bother owning one. Martial (IIRC) at one point refers to the Italian countryside where people 'only wear the toga when they are dead'.<br>
<br>
It seems probable that there were various lengths and widths of toga (though a recent PhD thesis from Germany has ripped apart the traditional designations) with the very voluminous ones shown on high-class statuary being a status symbol above all. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Yes you are right. The toga was at first the garment of all men in Rome. All men that were patricians that is. During the principate it became more and more the garment of the elite surrounding the emperor. It was Virgil who called the Romans togati. But he wrote in a time when Augustus confirmed his power by returning to the good old days " when all Romans wore toga". Just like all American wear cowboy hats and all Dutch wear wooden shoes, don't they?<br>
Augustus made a law which made wearing a toga a must if one wanted to see the gladiatorial games. Not every-one was happy.<br>
<br>
A toga grew into a ceremonial dress worn at official occasions by every Roman citizen who needed to confirm he was a Roman citizen.<br>
<br>
Vale,<br>
<br>
Gaivs <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Sounds more like a modern suit... <p></p><i></i>