Balteus

Евсеенков А.С.

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Balteus, or balteus (from Lat. balteus-belt) - a common name for a belt in antiquity. It should be borne in mind that such a type of belt as the cingulum (Roman military belt with suspensions) is a special case of it. In ancient Greece, it was called zωστήρ (zoster). There are other meanings of this term: - A leather sword belt, which was usually worn over the left shoulder, so that the sword was firmly attached to the right side, without changing its position. This sling fitted snugly to the warrior's body, thanks to the weight of the sword itself. - Elongated Roman tip a toga that swung from his right shoulder to his left.

Balteus in civilian hands

Ordinary citizens of Rome, men and women, actively used baltei for belting tunics, to ensure the convenience of wearing and beautiful drapery of fabric that corresponds to fashion. They made a baltey out of almost anything - it could be a braided belt, a piece of cloth, a strip of leather.

Balteus at the gladiators

Among gladiators, the baltei was made of leather and was a mandatory element of clothing, and unlike ordinary citizens of Rome, they were more often tied up not with a tunic, but with a subligaculum. This is due to the fact that not all types of gladiators wore the tunic, but almost all wore the subligaculum. The subligaculum could also be belted in different ways. Bas-reliefs and mosaics have been preserved, where the subligaculum above protrudes from under the baltei, and where the baltei completely overlaps the subligaculum above. It should also be noted that the gladiator baltei could be decorated with classical ornaments.

Related topics

Cingulum, Legionnaire, Gladiator, Toga, Tunic

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