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Roman Officer\'s Sash
#1
Avete!

Trying to put together everything we know about the Roman Officer's Sash.

Here's a couple of reference points:

[Image: ludovisisdet3b.jpg]
[Image: temphadriantrophy2b.jpg]

Here are my questions

1) Origins

Obviously Late Hellenistic owing to images of Alexander in the famous House of the Faun mosaic. The knot is the famous Herakles knot, known from hellenistic sources and earlier as an apotropaic device. What else can be said? Are these the same sashes we see on stelae on greek funerary lekythoi? What is their history in Greek sources?

2) Materials & Construction

Just what are they made of? Wool? Linen? Silk? Presumably they could be very luxurious. Many have fringed tassles, and edged (selvages?) borders. Some seem to have "lobed" ends, that are wider than the actual sash. Are these tapestry woven? They seem to be very similar to the pteruges (at least in the post-hadrian tradition)

3) Wearing them

They do not seem to be universally worn at any time period, despite the fact that they were common from the republic forward. Why the variety?
Who could wear them and when and for what purpose? What does the sash say about the wearer? Is it fashion? Military rank or honor? Do they have a functional purpose? I suspect they aided in keeping the musculata fitted "right". How about tying them? They seem to be very particular about how the ends are tucked up under the sash, making them very long and elaborate.

Well that's enough to get started.

Thanks

Travis
Theodoros of Smyrna (Byzantine name)
aka Travis Lee Clark (21st C. American name)

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#2
Quote:Who could wear them and when and for what purpose? What does the sash say about the wearer? Is it fashion? Military rank or honor? Do they have a functional purpose?
I know it's reassuring to have there with the musculata I recently received. It's actually very secure, and should your hinges give way at least the thing won't go flying off your body.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#3
Hi Travis

Reading your post I thought you have pretty well written all I know about this subject and answered most of your own questions. However the sash was called the 'Zona Militaris' in the later empire and was as you say a symbol of the officers rank. I have seen a statue of a centurion in Greece wearing one with his muscled cuirass.

Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.

"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.

"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
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#4
Tarbicus:

Have you got a picture yet? What is your sash made of? How long is it?

Graham,

Thanks for the input.

Check out this white ground Lekythos from the Met in NY

http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/v ... 2E281%2E72

I believe this is meant to be a warrior's stela.

Notice the red garland/sash.

Is this an officer's sash? Notice the lobed ends with the tassles. This is very similar to some officer's sashes that we see in Roman examples.

Any more clues on the origins of this thing?

Thanks.
Theodoros of Smyrna (Byzantine name)
aka Travis Lee Clark (21st C. American name)

Moderator, RAT

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#5
Quote:Have you got a picture yet?
Doug has yet to receive the rawhide from me to make that version, but here's the current type with a few extra holes that I asked not to be done for mine:

[Image: 98_2.JPG]

The sash is a woolen belt right now, bearing in mind it's not for an officer impression so will probably never have one. It really isn't finished at all.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#6
Well my tablion is still only pinned on my cloak, so I can hardly complain.
:wink:

Thanks Jim!
Theodoros of Smyrna (Byzantine name)
aka Travis Lee Clark (21st C. American name)

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#7
The sash seems to have been mainly worn by mounted men. This fact has given me the idea that it's original purpose was simply to tie the sword scabbard to the body, i.e. to keep it from bouncing around on it's shoulder belt.
drsrob a.k.a. Rob Wolters
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#8
Quote:The sash seems to have been mainly worn by mounted men. This fact has given me the idea that it's original purpose was simply to tie the sword scabbard to the body, i.e. to keep it from bouncing around on it's shoulder belt.

Never thought of that!

So is it a calvary officer's insignia then?

Travis.
Theodoros of Smyrna (Byzantine name)
aka Travis Lee Clark (21st C. American name)

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#9
Quote:
drsrob:2x72mc4a Wrote:The sash seems to have been mainly worn by mounted men. This fact has given me the idea that it's original purpose was simply to tie the sword scabbard to the body, i.e. to keep it from bouncing around on it's shoulder belt.

Never thought of that!

So is it a calvary officer's insignia then?

Travis.
Rather, a piece of cavalry equipment that became an officer's distinction when the Hellenstic cavalry armour had become a mark of equestrian rank.
drsrob a.k.a. Rob Wolters
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#10
Rob.

That makes a lot of sense. The emperors were always adopting features of the most elite troops.

Thanks!

Travis
Theodoros of Smyrna (Byzantine name)
aka Travis Lee Clark (21st C. American name)

Moderator, RAT

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