Roman & Celtic clothing

Ancient Roman clothing: the Roman tunic and tunica manicata

The tunica was the most commonly worn item of clothing by Roman men and women in Ancient Rome. The tunica worn by men was shorter in length than the tunica worn by women. It is a simple, practical and everyday garment that covers the upper body. Romans wore a belt to create a silhouette. Richer Romans used the tunica to show their place in society. It was longer (to the knees) and had a purple strip of fabric. The tunica manicata is a late Roman tunic for Roman citizens.

Celtic clothing, Celtic tunic and Celtic trousers

In ancient times, the Celts also wore a tunic. This was an universal garment and archaeological evidence shows that it was worn among Celts in the Hallstatt and La Tene periods, the Gauls and Germanic people who lived along or within the Roman Empire. On the other hand, the Romans also used garments worn by the Celts. Unlike the Romans, the Celts wore trousers. The noble Celts showed off their high status in society by wearing clothing with an expensive colour such as blue, and more expensive types of fabric.