wool, linen and sub-tunica.

[Martin Wallgren]

I have spent the gone week making two tunics in wool. One grey and one red. The thing I found out is they are quite itchy. So I constructed a undertunic out of linen to make that uncomfterble fact somewhat less irritating. In addition I have made a pair of underpants of quite slim fit and of a kneelength. This I have seen in depictions of roman soldiers. Now, is there any references to simillar clothes somewhere? The undertunic is realy nice to wear and it also make the warmth effect of the wool tunic better.

M

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Martin

You are quite safe wearing such things and in good company. Augustus wore a number of tunics according to Suetonius. The Vindolanda tablets mention a range of clothing many of which are unknown to us otherwise. Sometimes it is a game modern scholars play trying to match up names with the garments they either find in the ground or see in sculptures. The Vindolanda tablets ( some of which can be viewed on-line) as well as mentioning socks and underpants even mention sub paenula!

Graham.

[A_Volpe]

sub-paenula?

Wow...That makes the Romans sound closer to Victorian/late 19th Century/American Civil War fashions with multiple layers of clothing than I could have imagined. Very interesting!

[Chuck Russell]

very itchy.... are you sure its 100% wool. most wool that is itchy has either nylon or poly fibers in it. now there is some ruff wool that is itchy, but surely u could have choosen a better wool i wore a sub tunic undermine till i got used to wearing the plain wool. (and was shamed by paulus

[Dan Howard]

Last thing I had made of wool was a blend of sheep and alpaca wool. Very very soft. The Romans didn't have access to alpacas but some goat wool is very soft and a more likely source of wool than sheep at this time.

[Lepidina]

goat wool is very soft and a more likely source of wool than sheep at this time.

Really? What kind of goats did they use as I thought cashmere and angora goats were relatively modern breeds and the only ones that are used for fiber today.

[Hibernicus]

Wool with a long "nap" tends not to be itchy.... modern suit grade wool fro example .. but it can be pricy!

[Marcus Julius]

Hello Martin

You are quite safe wearing such things and in good company. Augustus wore a number of tunics according to Suetonius.

Quite so, In fact I seem to remember something about four tunics on one occassion?

[Peroni]

Wow...That makes the Romans sound closer to Victorian/late 19th Century/American Civil War fashions with multiple layers of clothing than I could have imagined

Some grave stele (particularly of women) make a point of showing multiple layers of clothing to show just how affluent the deceased was.

[Lepidina]

Wow...That makes the Romans sound closer to Victorian/late 19th Century/American Civil War fashions with multiple layers of clothing than I could have imagined

Clothing layering has been going on longer than that. Medieval, Renaissance, 17thc. 18thc. 1980s, all used multiple layers of clothing for different effects. Remember wearing 2 polo shirts with the collars turned up and matching layers of socks in the 80s or legawarmers over tights? Sadly, it's back again.

[Tarbicus]

Well, the Romans seem to have known the value of lots of thinner layers to keep warm rather than one thick layer, by the looks of it.