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Toga

Евсеенков А.С.

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A toga (Latin: toga) was a status symbol in ancient Rome, a broad and long piece of fabric worn over a tunic.

The toga was one of the attributes of Roman citizenship. Vergil referred to the Romans as "lords of the world, the people dressed in togas." Those deprived of citizenship and exiled lost the right to wear the toga, and it was also forbidden for foreigners to wear it. The toga was primarily formal attire for wealthy Roman citizens. Over time, fashion changed, and the toga became less commonly worn. For example, Juvenal mentioned that the toga was mainly worn only by the deceased on their deathbeds. Martial wrote that in small towns in Italy, the toga was worn once or twice a month, usually for family celebrations, mainly in honor of the Lares. In Rome itself, the tradition of wearing the toga was somewhat more enduring than in the outskirts of the state, but even so, by the late Republic, citizens increasingly preferred ordinary cloaks like the paenula and sagum over the toga. During Augustus' reign, aediles were tasked with maintaining Roman traditions, ensuring that every Roman citizen wore a toga in the forum and at the circus. However, even these measures were unsuccessful, and soon the toga was worn only where it was mandatory: at public games, in court, during sacrifices, and when clients greeted their patron. Thus, over time, the toga became official ceremonial attire and was rarely used in everyday life.

It should be noted that the toga likely entered Roman fashion from the Greeks, who used a similar garment, the himatium.

Statue of Octavian Augustus wearing a toga. 1st century AD
Statue of Emperor Tiberius wearing a toga. 1st century AD
Etrusco-Roman bronze statue of an orator wearing a toga. 2nd-1st century BC

Several types of togas were known:

Reconstruction

The toga was shaped like a rounded trapezoid and was truly enormous in size, often requiring the assistance of slaves to be put on. The fabric could be up to 2 meters wide at its widest point, and its length ranged from 3 to 10 meters, depending on the type of toga. The classic toga was white or cream-colored. To create the red or purple borders, it was common not to sew on a ribbon; instead, threads of a different color were woven directly during the weaving process.

Toga Pattern
Toga Pattern

Since the toga was worn by Roman citizens, it is best suited for the reconstruction of the images of senators and priests. It is recommended to use the thinnest wool with a plain weave for the toga, and the edges should be hemmed for a neater appearance.

Pontifex in a toga, reconstruction
Senator in a toga, reconstruction

Related Topics

Tunic, Augur, Pontifex, Equites - Riders, Paenula, Sagum

Literature

Gallery

A priest in a toga. Antalya City Museum. II-th century AD
A priest in a toga. Antalya City Museum. II-th century AD