401/509
[ stop the slideshow ]

Colobium

Colobium.jpg Spring BonnetsThumbnailsThe PaenulaSpring BonnetsThumbnailsThe PaenulaSpring BonnetsThumbnailsThe PaenulaSpring BonnetsThumbnailsThe PaenulaSpring BonnetsThumbnailsThe PaenulaSpring BonnetsThumbnailsThe Paenula

Shape. This garment varied in width across the shoulders. The
greater the distance between the neck-hole and the edge of the top
corner (see A B), the more the upper arm was hidden. This has the misleading effect of a sleeve to the elbow.
The Romans had a great aversion to anything in the nature of a close arm covering, so the fashion of wearing long shaped separate sleeves, set by
Alexander the Great, was not followed at Rome, as it was considered unmanly; besides, such sleeves were worn by foreigners and barbarians, so naturally this mode was distasteful to the patriotic intolerance
of a Roman citizen.


The Greek " kolobus," called by the Romans the "colobium." Another name for this garment was the "tunica". When more than one was worn, the under ones were called the "tunica interior" or "subucula." A long tunica was called "tunica talaris."