05-29-2008, 01:55 PM
Quote:First-century tunicae were usually white or off-white, and the only form of decoration was a simple stripe or laticlavus (generally restricted to equites or senatores).
A lot of dyes were available so white is certainly not the only option. A centurion was certainly wealthy enough to afford some very nice coloured fabrics.
Clavi were not restricted to equites or senators. They were a very popular type of decoration.
In the first century AD purple clavi seem to have been restricted to the nobility, but other colours most certainly were not. In later periods (starting late 2nd century AD I believe) also regular soldiers sported purple clavi on their tunics.
The terms laticlavus and angusticlavus mean respectivily broad clavi (Latuus means broad/wide) and narrow clavi (Angustus means narrow). A tribune of the senatorial rank had wide clavi and was called a tribunus laticlavuus. A tribune of the equitorial rank was called a tribunus angusticlavus.
And yes, Graham's book is the best source available on this subject!
Vale,
