How does one differentiate between the various Graeco-Roman costumes?

Question

As in, which have Greek origin and which are from the Romans? Also, what are the defining features of each costume?

Answer 1

Finite details...lots and lots of them. I'll see what I can tell you from memory.

Most ancient cultures from that region wore basically the same types of clothing as it was practical in the climate as far as the shape.

You didn't mention whether it was peasant garb, royal or senatorial robes or armor you wanted to know the distinction of.

Greek garments were typically hewn from a rougher fabric and the robes had less layers and draping effects than the Romans.

During the time the Romans conquered the Greek state, the culture was assimilated and customs merged, iincluding clothing types.

Armor was a bit different though. The Roman armor tended to be less restrictive and bulky to allow for more mobility and literally faster marching. There were more Roman soldiers equipped in chainmail, scale and banded armor where the Greeks used more plating (larger pieces to cover entire areas of the body). Pre-Roman Greek armor was heavier and there was a protective plate across the bridge of the nose moreso than Roman helmets where Roman helmets had hinged, protective plates to cover the ears and jaw.

An excellent site for examples of Roman era costuming (it's VERY authentic) is: http://www.larp.com/legioxx/

Also, do a search for simple frescoes and paintings (done during that age) of the Macedonian armies of Philip II. For examples of Roman clothing, search for the Fayum Portraits...granted, you mostly see a bust of the person in the paintings but you get an idea of how ornate they were in comparison.

Roman clothing has finer elements of trim where the Greek clothing incorporated more often different swatches of colors in entire panels of the garment.

You'll find that as the years went by, Egyptian, Greek, Phoenician and Hittite armor was very similar.

Roman clothing was simply more elegant, practical and constructed better to put it in simple terms.

Answer 2

The Greeks did not wear Toga's, the long draping heavy material that the Romans wore. They wore tunics, which were short sleeved and came down to just above or below the knee. The poor wore plain tunics, whilst the wealthier wore coloured.
They could be made of wool or cotton, depending upon the season, and were held together by pins at the shoulders and a belt.
In winter they wore something similar to the Toga, a lighter cotton material called the Himation, which was draped like the Toga. You can tell the difference because it was worn by both women and men, and is not as bulky as a Toga.

Womens garments in Greece were made of the same material, but went to the ground and were pinned at the shoulder. They are often tucked in at the waist.

Romans would wear the tunic, (though the wealthier citizens wore the toga) which they got from the Greeks. This was made of bleeched or coloured material, light and coloured for the wealthier citizens.

The Romans prized the 'feather cloak', which is something they wore and the Greeks did not. This was made, obviously, out of feathers.

The Abolla was worn by both Romans and Greeks. It is a military garment, so it looks a bit like a short sleeved tunic, or a dress ;)

Angusticlavia- The Roman tunic with purple studs. Worn by those in the equestrian class.

Senators of Rome wore a tunic, usually white, with a broad stripe of purple on it to indicate their rank, known as the Clava.

Pteruges- the (usually) leather or cloth skirt worn by Roman military.

Stola-the womens dress of Rome, worn over a tunic. Women did not wear the toga and neither did slaves, they simply wore a tunic. The Stola was like a long dress, with long or short sleeves and usually coloured and decorated with stones, ribbons or other accessories.

Loincloth-underwear worn by Romans. Kind of like a nappy ;)

The Greeks wore leather sandals and the Romans copied. Apparently alot of Greeks went barefoot, however most Romans wore shoes. In the military both Greeks and Romans wore leather boots.

You can differentiate between the two usually by the Toga and the presence of the stripes. The Greeks wore their 'position indicators' on the hem of their tunics, whereas the Romans would wear it on stripes on their Toga's.

Togas are usually woolen, sometimes a lighter cotton material, that is long and goes to the ground. Greek men did not wear clothes this long and that is how you can tell a man is a Roman by the length of the gown. They are usually draped around the body, and over the shoulder, with the tunic visible on the other.

The Greeks, both men and women, wore headbands. Roman men did not, as their hair was usually shorter. Military men in Rome had their hair very closely cropped; like they are today. The Greeks wore theirs longer and were often unshaven. They also tied up their hair with ribbons.

Greeks also wore the Pilos, the pointed hat. This was worn usually by military and could be leather or felt. They also wore a flat hat, which looks like what Chinese rice paddy workers wear.

Both Greeks and Romans wore capes in the military. The Romans were almost always dyed red.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

A practical guide is here: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/radical_romans/costume.htm - both Greek and Roman costumes, and how to make them!

Another link to "Greek and Roman costume":
http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/CourseNotes/costume.html

Answer 4

well all i know is that Greeks were bear and Romans didn't