What Did Ancient Roman Women Wear?

The tunic was the most popular clothing item for women and men in Ancient Rome. It had been worn for centuries — early tunics were handwoven. For a long time, Rome cherished an ideal of simplicity and modesty. A true Roman was expected to plow his own field and grow food for his family. At the same time, his wife was responsible for cooking and cleaning, spinning wool, weaving it into fabric on a hand loom, and sewing clothes for the whole household. And the primary piece of this clothing was the tunic.

Clothing of ancient Roman women. Modern illustration.

The earliest tunics were made from a straight piece of fabric folded in half. A hole was cut in the center for the head, and the sides were sewn together. To give the tunic shape, it was belted at the waist. Later came tunics with sleeves and narrower sleeveless tunics resembling nightgowns. These were essentially house clothes, and it was considered improper to be seen in public wearing them.