Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Re Clothing for children 1st century
#1
Hi,<br>
Heres a question for you, most of the information i've come across regarding childrens clothing, refers specicifcally to what children wore in Rome, as we know many soldiers married and had children in the countries of occupation, what would these kids have worn then, especially a bog standard legionary or auxilaries children.<br>
<br>
In Britain, would they have used the celtic design for their tunics with trims or would they have maintained the white woolen tunics with red/crimson edging for the boys. The climate in Britain at the time of occupation would indicate not, as it was said that it constantly rained in Britain, "No change there"<br>
<br>
So question is, what would children have worn? Obviously not the same as the clothes worn in Rome except for the richest families, would they have adopted celtic clothing and romanised it, from what i've seen of various recreations the clothing looks very similar, tunics, cloaks etc. Whilst maintaining traditions such as the Bulla?<br>
<br>
The reason I ask, is because I have 4 boys who wish to take part on the civillian side and they will portray sons of a leatherworker, Any thoughts?<br>
<br>
On another point would a leatherworker as was the case in the Napoleonic wars be a fighting soldier with a particular skill?<br>
Not a member of the local tribe?<br>
<br>
Let me have your views please and if you have any designs that you have already come up with in the past, your advice would be appreciated.<br>
<br>
Kormanus<br>
<p></p><i></i>
Reply
#2
That is a great question. All the children at the reenactment's I've seen (not that many) have the traditional Rome look to them.<br>
All the depictions I've seen, such as frescoes in Pompeii, or the Ara Pacis, have children dressed as smaller versions of the adults. Thus many illustrators make the kids smaller versions as well, even such as Peter Connolly.<br>
The bulla was apparently an Etruscan item, worn by men and women; not sure how it got to be a single thing boys wore.<br>
<br>
I think there is a book just on children's costume; I'll see if I can find the reference.<br>
<p>Legio XX Caupona Asellinae</p><i></i>
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
Reply
#3
Many thanks look forward to any information, regards Kormanus <p></p><i></i>
Reply
#4
I also would love to see that reference on children's clothing.
I've had a couple of questions that I never felt I could get a definative answer on.
>|P. Dominus Antonius|<
Leg XX VV
Tony Dah m

Oderint dum metuant - Cicero
Si vis pacem, para bellum - Vegetius
Reply
#5
From what I've seen, children would wear smaller versions of the kind of clothing that adults wear (with the exception of things like the toga - unless the family is really wealthy). The children from the Piazza Armerina mosaic wear child-sized tunics while the kids on the 'Neumagen teacher relief' (IIRCE - some Trier gravestone, anyway) wear the 'Gallic coat'. Most depictions of children that survive are, of course, from affluent backgrounds. Poor children may well have worn folded-over blankets or - in summer - nothing.

I would go with simple tunics - no fancy details - and make them large enough for the children to 'grow into'. Most tunics were purpose-woven, so they probably came in a limited number of sizes and would be tucked or cut to fit (the tunic from Les Martres de Veyre has a tuck around the entire waist while the Reepsholt find had the sleeves narrowed). In Britain, I would expect local manufacture, woolens, possibly patterned, quite thick, and without clavi. Girls' tunics would be floor-length, boys' tunics shorter. Trousers are probably not necessary (and might be more expense than a common leatherworker would want to go to, unless he just made them himself). If you want decorative detail, the Reepsholt tunic had a (probably originally red) thin tablet-woven tape around the neckhole and cuffs.

As an aside, until the 3rd century, all Roman soldiers would be considered combat troops. However, unlike in a Napoleonic regiment, it was quite possible that - barring a major emergency - specialists of all stripes would never be called upon to fight.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
Reply
#6
I have read that boys' tunics had a crimson border. But I have received differing accounts of exactly what the border is and what color crimson really is.

One expert says that this really means the clavi,
while another claims it is a colored border at the bottom like a hem.

Makes a big difference.

Help anyone?
>|P. Dominus Antonius|<
Leg XX VV
Tony Dah m

Oderint dum metuant - Cicero
Si vis pacem, para bellum - Vegetius
Reply
#7
Quote:I have read that boys' tunics had a crimson border. But I have received differing accounts of exactly what the border is and what color crimson really is.

One expert says that this really means the clavi,
while another claims it is a colored border at the bottom like a hem.

Makes a big difference.

Help anyone?

I wouldn't bother with this. It refers to the 'ceremonial' dress of Roman citizen boys and may well have had significance in Rome itself, and in Roman colonies, for purposes of a 'rite of passage'. The most common explanation I read was that underage boys wore the 'toga praetexta' with a colored stripe that was also used by sitting officials. Originally, this may have had some cultic significance or apotropaeic function. When they shaved for the first time, they also put on the plain toga of the adult citizen.

I don't see many families having the money to buy a toga for a growing child every year or two, or many boys wanting to wear one day in, day out. My guess is that this would become significant when a young upper-class boy accompanied a relative to the forum, and the only time most boys would get involved with togas would be the day the 'changed' theirs.

I wonder if there is any evidence for these togas being rented, like tuxedos.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
Reply
#8
Wow! what the title you choose, I love those kids who look pretty in well dressed, I need some dresses for my kids on this special holiday, can you plz help me to find out. :roll:
Reply
#9
As you're reopening an old topic, what do you want to know exactly. I think the answers given above are already pretty good.

For a boy: a simple tunica, a bulla and shoes and maybe a toga praetexta.
For a girl: a small version of any dress that is also appropriate for a 1st century woman. Of course according to wealth add jewellery.
________________________________________
Jvrjenivs Peregrinvs Magnvs / FEBRVARIVS
A.K.A. Jurjen Draaisma
CORBVLO and Fectio
ALA I BATAVORUM
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  1st Century Child\'s Clothing Chris B 2 1,950 05-18-2008, 10:41 PM
Last Post: Chris B
  1st/2nd century civilian clothing.. Gaius Titus 5 3,441 12-19-2007, 04:41 PM
Last Post: Senovara
  Greek children\'s clothing and games spyros 0 997 08-07-2006, 09:27 AM
Last Post: spyros

Forum Jump: