HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN DALMATICABy Lady Finna Halfdansdottir

Dalmaticas were the prevalent garment being worn throughout Europe between the 2nd and 8th Centuries. There are even finds dated from as late as the 11th century! Everyone from Constantinople to Londinium (London) could be found wearing a version of this tunic. Even local cultures, such as the Gauls and Vandals (no not Vendels…), would adopt this style of tunic due to their association with the Roman Empire.

The Dalmatica derives its name from the province of Dalmatia, which is located on the coast of modern day Croatia/Bosnia Herzegovina. Dalmatia is STILL a province to this day, but no, they aren’t sure if the dog originated there! Located on the Eastern shores of the Adriatic sea, Dalmatia was considered a portion of the Roman-Byzantine Empire, which we tend to call the “East Roman Empire”. This portion of the Roman Empire also consisted of parts of Northern Africa, Southern Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Egypt, Syria and Turkey. It was a large and diverse territory, with many different cultures being assimilated into the Roman Empire. It was because of this diverse culture that the Dalmatica got its start in the Roman fashion world.

Its first appearance was purported to be in the 2nd century. Emperor Commodus (Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus) was seen wearing a long sleeved, knee length tunic with wide purple clavii. Up until the 3rd century AD, it was considered “effeminate” for a man to be seen wearing this long sleeved style of dress; it was instead, the preferred dress of Roman women. Customarily, men’s clothing would be the toga or even simple, sleeveless tunics.

Commodus ruled from 180-192 AD, a much longer time frame than the movie “Gladiator” would have us believe. He later changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus in hopes that, by taking his fathers name, it would make him more popular with the citizens of Rome, but it would not help him. Seen as a depraved individual, lacking charisma and with a weak character, Commodus soon found himself one of the most hated Emperors of Rome since the infamous Nero. It is no wonder that, at the time, the fashionable citizens of Rome did not receive the Dalmatica as their style of dress.

Oddly enough, it was another Emperor, known for his wild debauchery and fanatical pagan worship that was eventually given credit for the Dalmatica becoming popular with male Roman citizens. Aelius Lampridius, an ancient and noted Roman philosopher and author, blames Emperor Heliogabalus for appearing publicly in the Dalmatica, hence, causing this once “effeminate” garment to now become an accepted style of dress for men.

Heliogabalus (born Varius Avitus Bassianus and made Emperor as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus) was a native to Syria but adopted the Dalmatica as his preferred style of dress throughout his reign as Emperor (218-222 AD). This is a man who, for entertainment, once had an entire court full of people smothered by rose petals during a feast. The feast goers were actually suffocated to death by the “tons” of rose petals dumped upon them from overhead! And yet, Heliogabalus’ character flaws and heinous acts must not have been horrible enough to prevent the Roman male citizens from still wanting to dress like him? Go figure. “When in Rome”……as the saying goes?

The design of the Dalmatica is triangular, with either fitted or flared sleeves and being approximately knee length. Clergy of the Roman Catholic Church are still wearing the basic form of the Dalmatica today. They have adopted the Dalmatic as an ecclesiastical garment to be worn over their vestments. Their version is triangular with wide, flared sleeves; knee length; closed in the front but split up the sides to the shoulders and has distinctive ornamentation consisting of two vertical stripes running from the shoulder to the hem. This ornamentation is known as clavii or clavus and was originally seen on the Dalmaticas of the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

Up until the 4th century, the size and color of the clavii were used to delineate between social statuses. The latus clavus (or laticlavium) probably measured 3 inches in width or more, and were dyed a fine purple from the “murex brandaris” or Murex shellfish. This was the most expensive version of purple available. The augustus clavus were approximately 1 – 1 ½ inches in width and were also dyed purple from murex. The equestrian orders, upper class citizens and the Camilli, youths in temple service, wore this type of clavii.

During the reign of the Dalmatica within the Roman fashion world, there was also another tunic that shared similar traits. This tunic was known as a “Coptic” and originated from the Copts who were Christian Egyptians. The Coptic and the Dalmatica shared the same style of decorations but differed mostly in the cut of the fabric. Whereas a Dalmatica is triangular in shape, the Coptic is cut straight. The term “T’ tunic best describes the cut of a Coptic tunic. Why these two tunics are so similar and yet come from such distant lands of origin is not yet apparent in my research. However, it is interesting to note that both the Dalmatica and the Coptic were being worn by “devout” Christians but of different doctrines. During the 5th century, in the city of Constantinople, street fights would erupt between the two factions. It could quite possibly be the first evidence of “gang” style fighting in history but instead of wearing “colors” the Christians could tell their “enemies” by the cut of their tunic!

Both the Coptic and the Dalmatica also shared the same style of creation. Woven from one piece of fabric on a warp weighted loom, the decorations and even the neckline, which generally consisted of a simple “slit” in the fabric, were actually woven into the fabric. In some cases, the decorations have been woven separately on the loom and then sewn onto the tunic at a later date. This was very cost effective, since the decorations could then be removed when the tunic became un-wearable and sewn onto a new tunic.

From its original date of appearance up to the 4th century, ornamentation usually consisted of bands on the cuffs as well as single, double or even triple clavii. These clavii would sometimes have ornate terminals like a leaf or spear shape. From the 4th century on, there is an increase in the decoration and ornamentation of the Dalmatica in the form of orbiculi (roundels), added two to the front, two to the back and one on each shoulder. Towards the middle of the 5th century, there becomes a penchant for square segmentae instead of the orbiculi, although the latter is still in use. Thus began the more creative versions of the Dalmatica with even more variety of segmentae found, including ovals, stars, triangles and other geometric shapes.

While the majority of recovered Dalmaticas were of unbleached, white or cream colored linen or wool; there is also evidence of others colors used. From the pages of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae, it is stated that two “red” military tunics were supplied to the tribune Claudius (who was later to become Emperor Claudius XIV). Since the Dalmatica was widely worn throughout the Roman legions, it stands to reason that the red tunics were indeed Dalmaticas. Also supporting this theory are the mosaics found in the Syracuse catacombs known as the Piazza Armerina Mosica, which depicts a Roman soldier wearing a red Dalmatica.

Another thought to keep in mind is that cotton was available as well, for the creation of garb. Cotton was imported from India and Egypt both and did find its way into the Roman fashion industry as evidenced by the find of a resist dyed cotton in Egypt.

In conclusion, it would seem that the majority of Europe including those in Byzantium and Britain were wearing the Dalmatica. This is a testament to the might and influence of the Roman Empire as well as to the comfort and appeal of the Dalmatica. While the Dalmatica would eventually fall out of favor, it would reign as a major clothing item in the closets of European citizens for almost eight centuries.

Bibliography

*Adkins, Lesley and Roy A. Adkins. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1994.*Bishop, M.C., and J.C.N. Coulston. Roman Military Equipment. London, England: BT Batsford Ltd, 1993.*The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV, “Dalmatic.” Online Edition Copyright. Kevin Knight, 2003. Updated 15 September 2003. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04608a.htm*The California Academy of Sciences, Dept. of Anthropology. “The History of the Copts.” Online Edition Copyright. Elizabeth Winstead, 1998 http://www.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/coptic/coptic/Copthist.htm*Desrosiers, Sophie, Corinee Debaine-Francfort and Abdurassul Idriss. “Two resist-dyed cottons recently found at Karadong, Xinjiang.” In The Roman Textile Industry and its Influence A Birthday Tribute to John Peter Wild, ed. Penelope Walton Rogers, Lise Bender Jorgensen and Antoinette Rast-Eicher, 1-11. Oxford, England: Oxbow Books, 2001*Gervers, Veronika. “Medieval Garments in the Mediterranean World.” In Cloth and Clothing in Medieval Europe Essays in Memory of Professor E.M. Carus-Wilson, ed. N.B. Harte and K.G. Ponting, 279-315. London, England: Heinemann Educations Books Ltd. 1983.*Jorgensen, Lise Bender and Ulla Mannering. “Mons Claudianus: investigating Roman textiles in the desert.” In The Roman Textile Industry and its Influence A Birthday Tribute to John Peter Wild, ed. Penelope Walton Rogers, Lise Bender Jorgensen and Antoinette Rast-Eicher, 1-11. Oxford, England: Oxbow Books, 2001*Jorgensen, Lise Bender. North European Textiles until AD 1000. Aarhus C, Denmark: Aarhus University Press. 1992.*King, Donald. “Roman and Byzantine Dress in Egypt.” In Donald King’s Collected Textile Studies, ed. A. Munthesius and M. King, CH XVI. London, England: Pindar Press, 2002.*Laing, Jennifer. Art and Society in Roman Britain. England: Sutton Publishing. 1997.*Library of Congress, Federal Research Division, Country Studies, “Egypt – Coptic Church”, Online Edition Copyright LOC, 1990. Updated 6 February 2004. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/*Rutschowscaya, Marie-Helene. Coptic Fabrics. Paris, France: Editions Adam Biro. 1990.*Southern, Pat and Karen R. Dixon. The Late Roman Army. London, England: BT Batsford Ltd., 1996.

CONSTRUCTION

To begin – you will need to know how to create a “basic T-tunic”. We will be modifying the basic t-tunic to fit the guidelines of a Dalmatic.

Materials

For truly “period” looks – linen, wool, silk or cotton. Yes, cotton is period. It was imported from India and Egypt!

Colors

The Romans had access to and created almost every shade of color! Stick with the basics though – White, Cream, Red, Green, Blue, Black, Brown, White, Yellow, and Purple. Any color that is considered a “jewel tone” is a safe bet.

Definition

Clavii (Clavus) – the vertical strips of fabric, which run parallel to the shoulders on a DalmaticaSegmentae, Orbiculi or Roundels – the “patches” typically seen at the bottom and/or shoulders of a Dalmatica

What You Will Need

Enough fabric of one color to make the “T” tunicAt least 2 yards of fabric for the clavii and segmentaeAt least 2 yards of “Wonder-under”An iron and ironing boardMatching ThreadA sewing machine that will do straight line and zigzag stitching.ScissorsA yardstickWashable, colored fabric pencils or pens

Construction

One of the biggest differences between Coptic and Dalmatic is the “flare” of the tunic. A Coptic is typically cut straight down the body, while a Dalmatic will have flare at the sides. Depending on the width of your fabric, you might have to add “gores” to your Dalmatic to create the flare.

Necklines – there are two typical necklines found. One is the “slit” neckline, which is exactly how it sounds. The upside to this neckline is that it is MUCH easier to create and face, the downside is that if your wearer dislikes having anything close to or touching their neck, this will do both!

The second neckline is your typical “boat” or rounded neckline. The upside to this neckline is that is it MUCH more comfortable, but is a little harder for construction purposes, especially for the facing.

The first choice is what color your tunic will be and what color your clavii and segmentae will be. Choose strong colors that will set each other off nicely.

The second choice is how to make the neckline. I highly suggest you discuss this with your wearer before cutting!

Create your basic “T” tunic with the neckline of the wearers’ choice and don’t forget to add the “flare”. DO NOT SEW UP THE SIDES YET, but do finish the neckline.

Decide what shape you will make your clavii. Do you want them to end in a fancy terminal (i.e. arrowheads or leaf shapes?) or do you want them to be simple.

You will need to measure the length of your wearer from the neckline to approximately the upper portion of their belly. If possible, measure them while they are wearing a tunic and their “typical” belt. You want the clavii to end well before the belt line. Now, take the measurement and double it! This will give you the full length from front and back. Remember, this is only one strip of cloth.

Draw your clavii onto the fabric using a fabric pencil. Typical width of clavii would be from 1 ½ to 3 inches. This also depends on the size of your wearer. You will draw two of them. One for each shoulder.

Segmentae – do you want Round? Square? Triangles? Ovals? Many different shapes are acceptable, although round and square are the MOST typical. You will need to draw 6 of these onto the fabric as well. Choose a size that is relative to your wearer. If they are a large person, choose a larger size and vice-versa. Often, household items can be of a great use for this. Try tracing a medium sized bowl onto paper and cut it out. Place the paper on the tunic and eyeball it to see if it’s big enough or too small, etc…etc…. Use your imagination!

Now, you have your clavii and segmentae drawn onto the fabric. Heat up your iron, place enough wonder-under under the fabric and iron it all down! By ironing the wonder-under on BEFORE cutting, this helps stop the fraying of the fabric. Once the wonder-under has been set you can cut out your clavii and segmentae.

Laying your Dalmatic out on a hard, flat surface you will place your clavii and segmentae. FIRST, peel the wonder-under backing off, this is the side that will go against the fabric. The clavii will go along the shoulders closest to the neck opening. Make sure you space them evenly from front to back and from side to side. Using a yardstick to periodically measure the distance between the clavii can help a lot.

Place two of the segmentae on the shoulders near the clavii. Center them on the neckline and the crease of the sleeve.

Placement of the hem segmentae is easy. Choose a distance from the hem (or where the finished hem will be), say 4 inches, and place the segmentae in line with the clavii. For best results, pin them down and have your wearer model the Dalmatic. From there you can adjust as necessary. Make sure that there is no difference between the front and back segmentae. You do not want the segmentae to be too close to the belt line or when the Dalmatic is bloused you will lose the segmentae in the belt line! Same reasoning behind the clavii being shorter!

Once you have your placements you can iron them into place. Remember to use a high steam setting and a dishtowel or cloth between the fabric and your iron this time!

After everything has been ironed down it is time to zigzag stitch all the clavii and segmentae down. Use a tight setting and make sure you are catching enough of both fabrics to hold tightly.

At this time you may choose to finish the garment and wear plain or you may choose to decorate the clavii and segmentae. While in period, these would have actually been woven into the fabric or woven separately then sewn down, most of us just aren’t that talented. So there are two choices for decorating: embroidery or painting. For the purposes of this class I will discuss painting only. Romans painted everything! From beautiful marble statues to block painting on tunics, they were obsessed with color.

Painting your new Dalmatic.

To paint designs onto your new Dalmatic you will need:

Acrylic paint – you can find this at any craft sections of Wal-Mart, Jo-Ann’s or Michaels (My favorite is Apple Barrel)Fabric medium – in the same place with the acrylic paint –follow the instructions on the bottleBrushes – fine tips, broad tips, flat tips (you know… a variety)Paper towelsA container for the paint

Designs found on the Dalmatics and Coptic’s ranged from simplistic geometric patterns to labor intensive pastoral scenes. It’s up to you how complicated you want to get. For geometric patterns I suggest making a “stencil” from cardboard first and drawing your patterns on.

Once you have painted your designs, you will need to allow at least 24 hours to dry. You will then heat set your fabric paint and you now have a totally “wash-n-wear” hand painted Dalmatic!!

THE REST OF THE STORYIn order to finish your Roman look you will need the following items:

UnderclothesLoin cloth of linen - menBreast bands of linen or soft leather, called strophium or mammilare - womenBikini-type underclothes of linen or soft leather, called interala or indusium - womenSocks and stockings – sprang (for modern purposes – knitted) - both

TrousersKnee length, probably of leather – usually worn by cavalrymenLong, slightly looser fitting wool trousers (braca) – worn by Eastern and Germanic troopsSkin tight, woolen trousers – worn by infantrymen – possibly bare legged as wellWomen – the dalmatica would be ankle length, no need for trousers

CloaksPaenula – full circle cloak of wool, closed on the right shoulder using a crossbow brooch (fibulae), with or without hood, hip to ankle length– both Sagum – square cut, wool in dark colors, typically red or dark brown, worn mostly by soldiers, hip to thigh length, same closurePaludamentum – semi-circle or trapezoid shaped, wool, white, scarlet, purple or darker colors – sometimes decorated with segmentae, sometimes finished at the hem with tassels or fringe, generally worn by officers, thigh to ankle length, same closure – both

HairstylesMen- Short hair, smooth shaven, or short clipped beard or moustache (58-138 AD), Pilleus –fez shaped hat made of felt, flat on top, close fitting to the head. <see photo VI>

Women – elaborate coiffures, braids intricately coiled on the head, tight curls, frizzing, high dressing with decorations or diadems, always wear veils in public

ShoesCarbatina – sandal with soft sole and openwork upper fastened by a lace, made from one piece of leatherSoccus – sole without hobnails and separate leather upperCalceus – hobnailed shoe secured by lacesSolea – simple sandal with a thong between the toes Caliga – heavy sandal with hobnailed sole and separate leather upper, fastened by thongs, worn by soldiers until the early 2nd century

Raymond’s Quiet Press – jewelry and accessorieshttp://www.quietpress.com/

Province of Dalmatia I

Eastern Roman Empire – Photo II

The Great Hunt Mosiac - Photo III

Piazza Armerina Mosiac – Photo IV

Piazza Armerina Mosica – Photo V

The Great Hunt – Piazza Armerina Fresco – Photo VI

Photo from “Coptic Fabrics”

COPTICS – note the straight cut!!!

The following three photos are from “Medieval Garments in the Mediterranean World”

Dalmaticas made for Sir Artos Ancilus by Lady Finna Halfdansdottir