tunic lengths

[Quintius Clavus]

While I was using the library at Yale University I looked at a copy of Lillian May Wilson's book "The Clothing of the Ancient Romans". She wrote about the "girt length of tunics" meaning the "belted" length. I wish I had written down the source of her citation, but here goes the gist of it:

For a civilian man, the front should extend to just below the knee, with the back reaching to the middle of the knee. Any longer than that is only fitting for a woman, and shorter is for a "centurion."

This is a rough paraphrase of her citation and I'm pretty certain she was quoting a Roman writer. I do distinctly remember the use of the specific word "centurion" rather than a more generic word like "soldier."

I spent more time taking notes on fabrics used by the Romans and also photocopying information on three different togas, inluding dimensions and draping of same. It is truly wonderful to get one's hands on an academic library, especially one like Yale's, even if it is just for a day!

Marcus Quintius Clavus
aka: Quinton Marcus Johansen