06-12-2007, 11:29 PM
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it's amazing how many people get the most basic item of kit there is wrong. This piece, then, is to help you to get it right, or at least a little closer to getting it right.
The Tunic (Latin: tunica)
FABRIC
First of all, the material: WOOL. This should be woven not knitted (knitting as we know it did not exist in ancient times). Many different weaves are known from archaeological finds, so any weave you are likely to come accross should be fairly safe. The material should be 100% wool and not a blend of modern fibres (as many fabric shops will try to sell you, claiming modern blends to be "better"). Old blankets can also be useful as a source of suitable fabric. It is also possible that some soldiers may have worn linen tunics in hot climates. The same rules apply.
COLOUR
This is a very contentious topic, but first things first. The fabric you choose should be plain in colour, the only possible exception being a pair of narrow vertical lines known as 'clavi' which (when present) should each be about a third of the way accross the final width of the tunic. DO NOT consider any other type of decoration. Clavi are the ONLY decoration permissible on a tunic and as these were normally woven into the material, you are better off avoiding decoration altogether and going for a single colour.
As to the overall colour, this is the issue which gets people fighting like tomcats. Many people have entrenched and inflexible views on the 'correct' colour for a tunic. The fact is however that most of the surviving literary references to the colour of military clothing refer to cloak colour rather than tunic colour and representations of tunics in frescos show a variety of colours and shades. Yes, red and white are both there, but so is salmon pink, green and pale blue. Significantly the ancient authors who tell us most about the equipment of the individual soldier do not even bother to mention tunic colour, despite Polybius actually telling us the colour of the feathers on soldiers' helmets. Tunic colour's possible lack of importance is further demonstrated by a mention by the biographer Suetonius of a punishment laid down by Augustus for soldiers who had committed minor offences: to be made to stand outside the headquarters building without their belts, which would deprive them of any sign of a military identity. Known signs of military identity were the military belt and the tunic which had been hitched up above the knees. If the soldiers wore a 'military' colour tunic they would still have been left with a symbol of their military identity. It follows then that the colour of the tunic was not seen as particularly significant. Therefore, if you want to make your tunic red or white (or undyed for that matter) either is fine and you will not get into trouble with anyone, but it would probably be wrong to think of either, or any other colour as being specifically military and so you could choose almost any colour you liked.
The only colours you should really avoid are purple and black. Both were extemely expensive (well out of the price range of a soldier) and in the case of black, as far as I know there was only a single dyestuff which could be used produce black dye and that was found well inside the enemy Persian empire. The wool of black sheep would produce something akin to black but it would be a very brown or grey version of black, rather than black as we understand it today.
DESIGN
At last we come to the garment itself. The tunic should not be thought of as a miniskirt or dress. In fact it is a large and very roomy garment which may take some getting used to at first.
For dimensions, a very rough guide to use is that if you stand up with both arms stretched out in a cruciform stance, the tunic (when unbelted) should reach from elbow to elbow as an absolute minimum (wrist to wrist would be just as accurate) and should hang to mid calf or just above the ankle.
The shape is very simple. There is no tailoring involved and the shape should be a simple rectangle or square. There should be no need for sleeves (indeed, the Romans themselves felt that sleeves were a little effeminate). For the arm and neck holes, simply leave around a third or slightly less at the middle of the top unsewn and leave the top third of each side unsewn. You may need to do a little hemming. The Romans seem to have produced the material in the correct size for tunics, meaning that there would not be frayed edges (except perhaps on clothing made from the cut up remains of old garments). We do not usually have this luxury and have to cut our material from larger pieces, meaning that frayed edges are more likely.
WEARING YOUR TUNIC
Having put the tunic on, get a waist tie of some sort and tie it reasonably tightly around your waist. This will pull the tunic in and effectively create sleeves. Then pull the material up through the waist tie until the bottom edge of the tunic hangs several inches above your knees. You will probably feel that the tunic is far too baggy and cumbersome at this stage. Don't worry - the Romans liked their clothing to be very roomy and you will soon get used to it. For a waist tie, you could use a leather thong, a thick piece of string or twine, a length of woven braid, a plain leather belt, or even a strip of material cut from fabric.
Do not use your military belt to hitch up your tunic. Put the balteus militare on once you have already finished getting the tunic right. Despite the apparently huge dimensions of your tunic, you should not have too much trouble putting your armour on over it. If you do, it probably means your armour is too small.
UNDERTUNIC
An undertunic is a good idea which helps keep you warm when it is cold and helps keep you cool when it is hot. An undertunic should be made of linen and should be made in the same way as the tunic, only a little smaller. It will not need a waist tie as it will be taken in anyway when you tie a waist tie around the tunic itself. The linen will almost certainly need hemming (linen frays very easily) and it is best to stick to undyed linen in its natural off-white to light biege clour.
I hope people will find this useful.
Crispvs
The Tunic (Latin: tunica)
FABRIC
First of all, the material: WOOL. This should be woven not knitted (knitting as we know it did not exist in ancient times). Many different weaves are known from archaeological finds, so any weave you are likely to come accross should be fairly safe. The material should be 100% wool and not a blend of modern fibres (as many fabric shops will try to sell you, claiming modern blends to be "better"). Old blankets can also be useful as a source of suitable fabric. It is also possible that some soldiers may have worn linen tunics in hot climates. The same rules apply.
COLOUR
This is a very contentious topic, but first things first. The fabric you choose should be plain in colour, the only possible exception being a pair of narrow vertical lines known as 'clavi' which (when present) should each be about a third of the way accross the final width of the tunic. DO NOT consider any other type of decoration. Clavi are the ONLY decoration permissible on a tunic and as these were normally woven into the material, you are better off avoiding decoration altogether and going for a single colour.
As to the overall colour, this is the issue which gets people fighting like tomcats. Many people have entrenched and inflexible views on the 'correct' colour for a tunic. The fact is however that most of the surviving literary references to the colour of military clothing refer to cloak colour rather than tunic colour and representations of tunics in frescos show a variety of colours and shades. Yes, red and white are both there, but so is salmon pink, green and pale blue. Significantly the ancient authors who tell us most about the equipment of the individual soldier do not even bother to mention tunic colour, despite Polybius actually telling us the colour of the feathers on soldiers' helmets. Tunic colour's possible lack of importance is further demonstrated by a mention by the biographer Suetonius of a punishment laid down by Augustus for soldiers who had committed minor offences: to be made to stand outside the headquarters building without their belts, which would deprive them of any sign of a military identity. Known signs of military identity were the military belt and the tunic which had been hitched up above the knees. If the soldiers wore a 'military' colour tunic they would still have been left with a symbol of their military identity. It follows then that the colour of the tunic was not seen as particularly significant. Therefore, if you want to make your tunic red or white (or undyed for that matter) either is fine and you will not get into trouble with anyone, but it would probably be wrong to think of either, or any other colour as being specifically military and so you could choose almost any colour you liked.
The only colours you should really avoid are purple and black. Both were extemely expensive (well out of the price range of a soldier) and in the case of black, as far as I know there was only a single dyestuff which could be used produce black dye and that was found well inside the enemy Persian empire. The wool of black sheep would produce something akin to black but it would be a very brown or grey version of black, rather than black as we understand it today.
DESIGN
At last we come to the garment itself. The tunic should not be thought of as a miniskirt or dress. In fact it is a large and very roomy garment which may take some getting used to at first.
For dimensions, a very rough guide to use is that if you stand up with both arms stretched out in a cruciform stance, the tunic (when unbelted) should reach from elbow to elbow as an absolute minimum (wrist to wrist would be just as accurate) and should hang to mid calf or just above the ankle.
The shape is very simple. There is no tailoring involved and the shape should be a simple rectangle or square. There should be no need for sleeves (indeed, the Romans themselves felt that sleeves were a little effeminate). For the arm and neck holes, simply leave around a third or slightly less at the middle of the top unsewn and leave the top third of each side unsewn. You may need to do a little hemming. The Romans seem to have produced the material in the correct size for tunics, meaning that there would not be frayed edges (except perhaps on clothing made from the cut up remains of old garments). We do not usually have this luxury and have to cut our material from larger pieces, meaning that frayed edges are more likely.
WEARING YOUR TUNIC
Having put the tunic on, get a waist tie of some sort and tie it reasonably tightly around your waist. This will pull the tunic in and effectively create sleeves. Then pull the material up through the waist tie until the bottom edge of the tunic hangs several inches above your knees. You will probably feel that the tunic is far too baggy and cumbersome at this stage. Don't worry - the Romans liked their clothing to be very roomy and you will soon get used to it. For a waist tie, you could use a leather thong, a thick piece of string or twine, a length of woven braid, a plain leather belt, or even a strip of material cut from fabric.
Do not use your military belt to hitch up your tunic. Put the balteus militare on once you have already finished getting the tunic right. Despite the apparently huge dimensions of your tunic, you should not have too much trouble putting your armour on over it. If you do, it probably means your armour is too small.
UNDERTUNIC
An undertunic is a good idea which helps keep you warm when it is cold and helps keep you cool when it is hot. An undertunic should be made of linen and should be made in the same way as the tunic, only a little smaller. It will not need a waist tie as it will be taken in anyway when you tie a waist tie around the tunic itself. The linen will almost certainly need hemming (linen frays very easily) and it is best to stick to undyed linen in its natural off-white to light biege clour.
I hope people will find this useful.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
