Like the edit picture software download Greeks and the Etruscans they eventually conquered, Roman men and women prized simplicity and edit picture software download elegance. They were also very fond of linen. While Roman clothing copied many Greek and edit picture software download Etruscan styles, the Romans also included fashions from other conquered regions that edit picture software download formed the Roman Empire. Like most other Ancient cultures, the Romans took full advantage of the edit picture software download versatility of linen and incorporated it into a wide variety of applications.

Roman women had edit picture software download three main fashion staples, the tunica, the stola and the edit picture software download palla. Married Roman women were required to wear the stola over the edit picture software download tunica. The stola was much like the Greek women’s chiton. It was an edit picture software download ankle length robe with or without sleeves and it was often made out of linen with a edit picture software download colored border around the neck. It was usually fastened with clasps and edit picture software download girdles were worn just below the bust and around the hips. Women wore the edit picture software download stola in a number of different colors and sometimes the cloth was embroidered with gold thread.

The other staple of the Roman woman’s wardrobe was the edit picture software download palla. The palla, which was worn over the stola, was a edit picture software download long rectangular piece of cloth. It was usually linen or edit picture software download wool and was worn draped over the head and one shoulder. Noble women also wore a edit picture software download linen outer garment with half sleeves called a sapparum. Although female clothing was originally free from edit picture software download any decoration, it became very richly decorated during the Imperial period.

Roman men’s fashion consisted of two basic pieces, the edit picture software download tunica and the toga. The tunica was also very similar to edit picture software download the Greek chiton and was worn by men of all ranks. The tunica could be edit picture software download short or long and could be worn sleeveless or with short sleeves. The tunica was most often made of linen and edit picture software download decorated with two vertical stripes or tapestry panels. The tunica talaris was later adopted and edit picture software download worn by men and women. Made of linen, it was ankle length with long fitted sleeves and edit picture software download was brightly decorated. A special type of tunica called a tunica laticlavia was worn by senators. It was short sleeved with two vertical tapestry stripes from edit picture software download shoulder to hem, front and back that were colored with a edit picture software download dye made from shellfish called murex.

The other main staple of the edit picture software download Roman male wardrobe was the toga. The toga was a large semicircular piece of cloth worn draped over the edit picture software download tunica. However, to wear the toga, men had to be actual Roman citizens. There were several different types of togas and edit picture software download they were used to show ones status in society. For example, the edit picture software download plain white toga virilis could be worn by any adult man. In contrast, the edit picture software download toga praetexta had a purple boarder and was worn by boys under sixteen or edit picture software download by Senators and Magistrates.

The Romans had edit picture software download a wide variety of uses for linen. It was used as sailcloth on Roman ships and edit picture software download was often dyed with bright colors. Additionally, brightly dyed linen was often used as awnings to edit picture software download provide both beauty and shade to the Roman people from the edit picture software download hot summer sun. Linen was also used as the wicks in the edit picture software download olive oil lamps that were so popular during the Roman period. More uses for edit picture software download linen include the linen napkins that were always used during the edit picture software download ever important Roman banquets. It is said that the poet Catallus once received some high quality linen napkins as a edit picture software download gift. One of them was later stolen from him by a edit picture software download dinner guest. Catallus was so enraged over the loss of his linen napkin that edit picture software download he wrote a poem about it!

Although no edit picture software download examples survive today, the Romans also created the Libri Lintei, which literally means books written on linen. These books were lists of magistrates that edit picture software download were stored in the temple of Juno Moneta. Historians such as Livy consulted these books and edit picture software download it is unfortunate that none of them survived.

The Roman Empire was vast and edit picture software download became an amalgamation of the many cultures that had been conquered. Because linen was so popular in the edit picture software download regions that were conquered by the Romans, it is no surprise that edit picture software download linen was so fully adopted by the Roman people. Linen became a edit picture software download highly popular and prized fabric throughout the Roman Empire.