The Focale

[derek forrest]

My Dr Smith Latin dictionary from 1895 defines focale as "a neck cloth worn by sick or effeminate persons".

I wonder where it comes from? Most groups insist upon it . It is certainly useful and protects the neck but for the Lorica to hang properly more bulk is needed on the shoulders.
I know of no particular authority for one. Is it just one of those items that have been worn by habit and just accepted?

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Derek

My guess would be an iterpretation of Trajan's Column. The Legionaries appear to be wearing one beneath their lorica segmentata while the regular Auxiliaries wear theirs outside their armour. In the latter case that presumably defeats the purpose generally put forward for their use, to protect the neck from chafing by the armour.

Another aspect I guess which is also another interpretation of the available evidence is the shape of the Focale itself. I presume most early imperal re-enactors have chosen a triangular design.

When I discussed this point with Hero Granger-Taylor she emphasized the point that the Romans at that period did not cut garments to shape and that a rectangular design more like any modern scarf was more likely.

This would seem to be supported by the rare number of scarves either depicted in Roman art, the tombstone of Apinosus from Nievre in France for example, or those discovered in archaeological contexts such as the examples from Danish sites. See J.P.Wild 'The Clothing of Britannia, Gallia Belgica and Germania Inferior', ANRW 1985. However the Focale visible on Trajan's Column do not look as big as the one worn by Apinosus more like those we see worn by the U.S. Cavalry in countless westerns.

Nevertheless I suppose both these aspects can be experimented with by re-enactors and it would be interesting to know if anyone out there has either worn armour without a scarf to see if it is comfortable or tried bigger rectangular versions.

Merry Christmas to you Derek and other RAT readers!

Graham.

[Neuraleanus]

try wearing a lorica segmentata for any length of time without a focale! Early on in roman reenacting I did not wear one while on parade and I ended the day with a severe red mark across my neck.

[Graham Sumner]

Neuraleanus wrote

try wearing a lorica segmentata for any length of time without a focale! Early on in roman reenacting I did not wear one while on parade and I ended the day with a severe red mark across my neck.

Hello Neuraleanus

And presumably if your Centurio was on the ball that day you had a severe red mark from his vitis somewhere else!

However we should keep it in mind that just because us modern softies find it uncomfortable that the Romans did too or that they were even allowed to wear a scarf as protection. A case in point would be the leather neck stocks soldiers were forced to use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Graham.

[arklore70]

I thought of it more for a dust rag and something to wipe the sweat off while on the march, expecially if you are the trail century.

Cheers!!

Mike

[FAVENTIANVS]

try wearing a lorica segmentata for any length of time without a focale! Early on in roman reenacting I did not wear one while on parade and I ended the day with a severe red mark across my neck.

It happened the same to me, but wearing a lorica hamata... and I'm a late Roman re-enactor.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

When I discussed this point with Hero Granger-Taylor she emphasized the point that the Romans at that period did not cut garments to shape and that a rectangular design more like any modern scarf was more likely.


Graham.

Mr. Sumner,

Is it likely that soldiers would have been wearing clothing, and accessories produced by non-Romans? thus allowing clothing that would have been cut to shape?

[john m roberts]

Ask any cowboy. A kerchief is one of the most useful things you can have, and if you wear it as part of your working gear, it's always there. It's a bandage when you need one, a sling for an injured arm, a washrag, a mask for filtering out dust or committing robberies, even a decent garotte, as the Indian Thugs knew. It also disguises the sunburned, seamed, unsightly neck common to men who work outdoors all day long. Rural American's didn't get called "rednecks" for nothing. Anyone can think of a dozen other uses. A few years ago I saw a book describing how to make clothing from nothing but bandannas (usually more than one was called for.) And they can come in any color. Focale color debate, anyone?

[Mithras]

I'm a Late Roman re-enactor, but I have one (or had one). I've seen not one single piece of evidence that Late Roman soldies wore scarves. So I've abandoned mine. Since I wear hamata and don't wear a baldric, thats no big hassle for me.

Colour? Mine was green because I'd read that green is the only colour mentioned anywhere (though I forget the reference). The 'suspected legionary' painted in an Egyptian portrait has a white knotted scarf. I've seen frescoes from the Armerini Villa that depicts slaves wearing white knotted scarves.

[Robert Vermaat]

I'm a Late Roman too, and I did not need it with my hamata either. But with my squamata it's very handy...

[FAVENTIANVS]

Well, I might have a more sensible neck anyway... :wink: :oops:

[aitor iriarte]

The amnesic source quoter's corner... :roll:
I remember (he, he, he... :oops: ) somebody quoting the Act of one of those Late Roman Galilean martyrs who was almost choked with a focale by the soldiers arresting him...
Anybody having more and younger neurones can remember the exact quote?

Aitor

[Graham Sumner]

Mithras wrote:

Colour? Mine was green because I'd read that green is the only colour mentioned anywhere (though I forget the reference). The 'suspected legionary' painted in an Egyptian portrait has a white knotted scarf.

Mea Culpa! Roman Military Clothing 1, pages 21,37. The painted portrait is illustrated in Roman Military Clothing 2 page 40. It is now in the Oriental Institute Chicago. A grey-green scarf is worn by a soldier in a tavern painting from Pompeii. It is worn beneath his Paenula which was a recommended practice by Pliny the Elder no less, because of the wide neck opening of the paenula. Nat Hist XXIV,18.

Aitor wrote:

The amnesic source quoter's corner...
I remember (he, he, he... ) somebody quoting the Act of one of those Late Roman Galilean martyrs who was almost choked with a focale by the soldiers arresting him...
Anybody having more and younger neurones can remember the exact quote?

Martyrdom of Pionius, 15.5 The scarf here is called by its Greek name Maphorion.

Primvs Pavlvs wrote:

Mr. Sumner,

Is it likely that soldiers would have been wearing clothing, and accessories produced by non-Romans? thus allowing clothing that would have been cut to shape?

[/quote]

The first part of this question is the easier to answer. Yes, it is possible. Soldiers also received gifts of clothing from home and probably bought other items in the settlements outside the military bases they may also have made items like a scarf themselves by re-using old tunics. The scarf worn by Apinosus could well be a locally produced product of native type. It is very similar in appearance to the two iron age examples found in Denmark. They are both fringed like the one worn by Apinosus and measure 1.37m long. See M. Hald, Olddanske Tekstiler, Nordiske Fortidsminder 5, Copenhagen 1950 or the J.P.Wild article mentioned above.

Graham.

[drsrob]

[...] Roman Military Clothing 1, pages 21,37. The painted portrait is illustrated in Roman Military Clothing 2 page 40. It is now in the Oriental Institute Chicago. A grey-green scarf is worn by a soldier in a tavern painting from Pompeii. It is worn beneath his Paenula which was a recommended practice by Pliny the Elder no less, because of the wide neck opening of the paenula. Nat Hist XXIV,18.
[...]

I have checked this reference on Bill Thayer's Website: Pliny_the_Elder and I can't find it there. Also, your quote from Pliny on the colour of the paludamentum I found in book XXII rather than XX. Bill Thayer makes some remarks on some translations having a different lay-out. Could you perhaps give me a quote in Latin or perhaps the exact source of your reference.

[Arrian]

Let us not forget that a large scarf is extremely useful in cold and windy climates. especially in subzero temperatures were the cold metal of your segmentata might seriously hurt exposed skin.

Mine is a very large rectangular linen sort. It also doubles as towel, tablecloth, makeshift sail or white flag for surrendering.