Roman Military Clothing (1): 100 BC-AD 200 (Men-at-Arms) (Vol 1) (Paperback)

~ Graham Sumner (Author, Illustrator) "ALTHOUGH A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION has been paid to the armour and equipment used by the Roman Army, by comparison the basic clothing worn..." (more)
Key Phrases: black clavi, paenula cloak, sagum cloak, Trajan's Column, Camomile Street, Nahal Hever (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The armour and weapons of Rome's legionaries and auxiliaries have been the subject of intense research and speculation, and much has been published - but almost nothing on the actual clothing of Imperial soldiers. In this first part of a rigorous study of the literary, sculptural, pictorial and archaeological evidence, a specialist author/artist examines the clues which enable us to attempt reconstructions of tunics, cloaks, footwear and other items worn by officers and men all over the empire, from the late Republic to c.200 AD. His text is illustrated with meticulous drawings of surviving relief sculptures - particularly soldiers' gravestones - and eight striking colour plates.

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (August 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841764876
• ISBN-13: 978-1841764870
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #890,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Affordable Book on Roman Military clothing, November 1, 2002

By	Caius Fabius "caiusfabius" (Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews

This book has interesting reviews at Roman Army Talk. I liked the book but some will not agree with some of the tunic color theory. The book is really helpful for those who want to build an authentic re-enactor outfit, including information on the different styles of military shoes! The information about tunic construction and cloak types is invaluable. The color plates are nice, and realistic looking, while the line drawings and B&W illustrations are very good supporting materials. It is wonderful that this information is being made available in this format, and further volumes will follow!
If you study Romans, the Roman Army, or re-enact this time period you will want this resource close at hand. Even miniatures painters can benefit from the information presented.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Answer to the review of Mr. David S. Michaels, December 16, 2002

A Kid's Review

Mr. David S. Michaels,

Forgive me, but Your review about the book "Roman military clothing nr. 1" gives the impression of a very superficial and approximate knowledge of the Roman military word, archaeology and way of life.

Roman paintings, mosaics and sculptures provide us with a snapshot of the past as one can easily observe from the black and white images of soldiers in this book. Unfortunately we too often presume to know more than the people who lived 2000 years ago who saw these soldiers for themselves.

For instance the Praetorian guardsman illustrated in Plate F1 may at first seem fanciful and dubious but in my opinion this is one the best reconstructions of a Praetorian ever attempted. Every detail of the equipment is based on actual archaeological sources including the original Neronian painting where even the hinges of the lorica are visible! For example the helmet can be seen in the definitive publication on the Armour of Imperial Rome by H. Russell Robinson, the greaves from Pompeii and the bronze Lorica segmentata is based on recently discovered bronze specimens from Nova, Bulgaria. Linking the Praetorian with the Prasina faction in the circus with the inclusion of a green tunic adds a touch of historical realism. Moreover this link, attested by ancient written sources, confirmed by other artistical images, reminds us that the personal tastes of both Praetorians and Emperors existed in an age where modern concepts of uniform did not exist.

The black and white illustrations in this publication are a mine of information and many are made available for the general reader for the first time. These include a unique representation of a slave merchant and a Diogmitas or Para-military policeman of Asia minor. Incidentally the author categorically states that his conclusions on the tunic color debate will be summarized in the second volume in this series.

The fact that Caesar's cuirass is obscured by a cloak in one particular color plate is a pity, however the cuirass itself is described in the text and the book makes no claims to be anything other than a study of clothing. Moreover Caesar's tunic is evidently the same as the two other tunics illustrated in the same plate so if one wants to know what Caesar's tunic looked like, one only has to look at the tunic of Pompeius. If you need more information on the Armour of Caesar I personally recommend `L'esercito di Cesare', by C. Antonucci, EMI, Milan. The cuirass worn by a Legionary in Plate B is described in the text as `Kalkriese' type and Mike Bishop will undoubtedly explain information on this form of Armour in his forthcoming book on Roman body Armour.

Finally every impression of the Roman world is of course personal but I believe this is a very good attentive book, well researched with archaeological details never seen before. I hope that this series will be the beginning of the end of the modern view that Roman art was conventionalized, in particular with regards to depictions of Armour and military equipment and that Osprey continue along such a road.

Best wishes

Dr. Raffaele D'Amato - 38 years old
Searcher and scholar in military matters

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible for the reenactor, gamer or historian, December 6, 2002

By	David S. Michaels "Flavius Crispus" (Valencia, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having using this book as a resource for more than a year now, I have come to appreciate its value to the Roman reenactor, wargamer, and professional or amateur historian. After spending time going over the text in detail, I can only appreciate and admire the amount of painstaking research Mr. Sumner has compiled for this study. I admit to being a little miffed, initially, that Sumner did not once and for all end the vexing argument over the color of the Roman military tunic -- i.e. was it red, or white, or some other color, or was there no "uniform" color at all? In retrospect, if one reads between the lines, the evidence Mr. Sumner provides seems to advance the hypothesis that the Roman soldier wore a white tunic while "out of kit," and a red one under his armor when preparing for battle. The illustrations are quite nicely rendered, with an extraordinary amount of detail even by Osprey standards. In conclusion, this is definitely a worthwhile addition to the Roman military enthusiast's or reenactor's bookshelf.