ROMAN
CLOTHING
STOLA and PALLA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stola
• The stola was a long, pleated dress, worn over an
undergarment called a tunic or tunica intima (the
Roman version of a slip). The stola was generally
sleeveless but versions of it did have short or long
sleeves. These sleeves could belong to the stola itself or
be a part of the tunic. The traditional sleeveless stola
was fastened by clasps at the shoulder called fībulae.
The stola typically had two belts, and was typically girt
with ribbonsThe first was worn just below the breasts
creating a great amount of folds. The second and wider
belt was worn around the waist. The stola was
frequently worn with a a long shawl-like garment called a
palla. It was worn when women went outside and
typically went over one shoulder and draped across the
body. It could also be pulled up over the head as a shawl.
TUNICA
• Nearly all Romans wore a simple tunic
under more formal clothes, while slaves
generally wore only a tunic
• A tunic worn as underwear was known as
tunica intima
TOGA
• The toga was originally worn by both sexes but
later restricted to male Roman citizens and so
became a prized symbol, even though
cumbersome.
• A candidate for election wore a dazzling white
toga (toga candida), hence the word `candidate’)
• The toga praetexta, with a broad purple stripe
near its edge, was worn by boys and also by
some magistrates and priests
The words already presented are
the ones you’re most likely to
encounter in the exam but, just to
make things more complete, here
are three more…
PALLIUM
• Originally a garment worn just by Greeks,
especially philosophers.
• It could be worn in various styles, sometimes
rather similar to a toga but also folded and used
as a rather elaborate scarf.
• The `pallium’ adorned with crosses and now
used by the Pope and some other senior leaders
of the Catholic church appears to have evolved
from the folded ancient pallium.
AMICTUS
• A general word for an outer garment, but
sometimes translated `cloak’. In Harrius
Potter et Lapis Philosophi, the phrase
`Amictus Invīsibilitātis’ is used as a
translation of `Invisibility Cloak’
LAENA
• This was `a thick, shaggy, woolen cloak
worn over a pallium or toga and fastened
with a pin.’ (http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/clothing/g/011011Laena.htm)