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3rd & 4th Centuries: 200 - 399 CE
- Although the gap-sleeved tunic continued to be depicted in art until the late 3rd century, and may have continued to be worn as “formal wear”, it had been replaced in daily wear by the short-sleeved tunic.
- Short-sleeved Tunica:
- Imperial women were wearing the short-sleeved tunic for public functions in the 2nd century. By the early 3rd century Imperial women were being portrayed in the the short-sleeved tunica in public art, making the gap-sleeved tunic very "old-fashioned."
- Reliefs on the Arch of Severus in Lepcis Magna from 203-4 CE show Empress Julia Domna wearing a gap-sleeved tunica in one scene, and a short-sleeved tunica belt under the bust in another
- A bust dated to the early 3rd century depicts a short-sleeved tunica – Unknown woman, Museo Archeological Nazionale, Napole, Italy
- Made in the same style as men’s tunics, but longer (calf to ground length depending on the age and social class of the wearer). The old rules regarding clavi are completely ignored and clavi are simply regarded as decorative elements on the tunic. Everyone wears clavi on their tunics, including men, women, children, working men and women, and even slaves. These clavi can be narrow or wide, depending on the individual's taste and pocketbook. Clavi may contain multiple smaller stripes of color, or be patterned.
- Serving girls (presumably slaves?) are often shown in calf-length tunicas that are usually worn unbelted.
- Middle- and upper-class women continue to wear their short-sleeved tunicas belted under the bust.
- Middle- and upper-class women usually wore short-sleeved tunicas over a white under-tunic which would show at the neckline. The neckline of the undertunic is usually decorated with embroidery or a woven band. The under-tunic could also have a short fringe at the hem, which would show underneath the hem of the over-tunic.
- There is an extant under-tunic found in a cemetary in Jordan which has both a decorated neckline and a fringe at the hem.
- A full-length painted shroud from Egypt also shows both a decorated neckline and a fringed hem.
- The relief carved on the Tomb of the Haterii shows mourners wearing unbelted short-sleeved tunicas – a way of visually depicting their distress by being less then perfectly clothed.
- Imperial women were wearing the short-sleeved tunic for public functions in the 2nd century. By the early 3rd century Imperial women were being portrayed in the the short-sleeved tunica in public art, making the gap-sleeved tunic very "old-fashioned."
- Dalmatic:
- A new style of tunic/gown adopted by women in the late 3rd century. The dalmatic was wider through the body than the short-sleeved tunic, and was generally worn loose and unbelted by upper class women.
- Late 3rd or early 4th century catacombs in Rome show a number of Christian women wearing this new style of tunica
- Mostly light colored dalmatics with dark clavi, but the reverse also exists. Although women of this period occasionally have decorated clavi, they are never shown with the roundels found on male tunics of this period.
- The clavi are usually plain, but two depictions of patterned clavi exist. The women wear hairstyles dated to 270-310 CE: Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome & Catacomb of Traso, Rome
- Usually mid-calf length with a curved hem, but floor-length are also possible. Length may be an indication of social status – shorter on slaves and working-class women vs. long on upper-class women
- Both loose, wide sleeves and tighter, narrow sleeves are seen. Dalmatics with sleeves that are wide throughout the entire sleeve can easily expose a large portion of the body, so these were worn over an undertunic. Undertunics probably still white and could be sleeveless, short-sleeved, or long-sleeved.
- Working-class women and slaves may have belted their tunics to keep the fullness of the tunic body and the large sleeves out of their way. Upperclass women with very large sleeves would not have needed to contain their skirts and sleeves in a belt.
- mosaic at Piazza Armerina – 4th cent. & Projecta Casket, British Museum
- When upper-class women belted the dalmatic, it was with a belt worn high, under the bust as in previous fashions. Since the arm scye of the excessively wide sleeves of the dalmatic typically extend down into the body of the garment, they may have fed the belt through holes in the tunic to bypass belting the sleeves
- mosaic of women making rose garlands – Piazza Armerina
- Colors for the dalmatic were the same as the short-sleeved tunic, with the body of the dalmatic contrasting sharply with the clavi and other decorations. Purple and white are still common, traditional colors for clavi and decorations. Extant artwork also shows the following as common color combinations: A pink dalmatic with brown & white clavi; a yellow dalmatic w/ red & black clavi; a dark pink dalmatic w/ copper colored clavi.
- Late 4th century: Transitioning to Post-Rome in the West, and Byzantine in the East
- By the late 4th century, the sleeves had changed shape and were narrower at the shoulder and wider at the wrist, allowing the belt to pass under the sleeve, or sleeveless. Both styles were ground length, and were worn over a visible under-tunic with long, tight-fitting sleeves. The visible under-tunics were colored and often had decoration at the wrist, and sometimes at the neck and/or hem.
- The new fashion ensured that the entire body was covered. A white underwear layer tunic was worn beneath the fashion under-tunic. The white layer was sometimes visible at the hem or wrist, which could also be decorated.
- Suzanna at a cemetary at Salonika
- Portrait of Serena and her son Eucharius, late 4th cent. Diptych, Monza Cathedral Treasury
- Colors for the dalmatic were the same as the short-sleeved tunic, with the body of the dalmatic contrasting sharply with the clavi and other decorations. Purple and white are still common, traditional colors for clavi and decorations. Extant artwork also shows the following as common color combinations: A pink dalmatic with brown & white clavi; a yellow dalmatic w/ red & black clavi; a dark pink dalmatic w/ copper colored clavi.
- By the late 4th century some dalmatics are shown with all-over geometric patterns, such as blue birds on a pale pink background. Lower-class women wear simple striped tunics, while upper-class women have decorated clavi, borders on the lower edge, and the roundels previously only seen on male tunics, with all-over patterns on their dalmatics.
- A new style of tunic/gown adopted by women in the late 3rd century. The dalmatic was wider through the body than the short-sleeved tunic, and was generally worn loose and unbelted by upper class women.
- Belt:
- Still worn under the bust/high waist
- Often still simple cord belts on working-class women and slaves, but there was a growing fashion for more elaborate belts made of wider bands of fabric with elaborate fastenings for upper-class women. Fasteners could be a brooch, or more of a decorative buckle configuration with a bar at the back
- With the advent of wearing two visible tunics in the late 4th century, belts became wider and stiffer – probably made out of leather with a larger buckle/fastener. These belts could be set with gems and pearls in addition to having a jeweled buckle.
- Palla/Mantle:
- The palla is decreasing in size, becoming less cumbersome
- An extant palla from the Cave of Letters is 106.3” (8’10.3”) long x 55” wide.
- Patterned pallas are becoming more common. From the later 2nd century pallae could be decorated with borders with the L- and H- shapes, and by the early 3rd century with roundels like those found on male mantles. In the later 3rd century pallae frequently had wide, decorative borders, often with patterns in the borders.
- New methods of draping the palla: Pallae are rarely draped over the head anymore. Smaller versions could be draped over one or both shoulders like a shawl. Larger versions could be draped over the left shoulder, behind the back, under the right arm, and over the left arm at the elbow (or possibly secured in the belt). By the late 3rd century it could also be tied on the chest in a large knot with short ends hanging down
- In the late 4th century both ends of the mantle are thrown back over the shoulders so that the shoulders and upper arms are covered by fabric, but there are no ends hanging down in front anymore. The ends may be fastened together at the back.
- The women of Empress Theodora’s court also wear much narrower pallae with one end hanging down on the left side, with the other end taken around the back, over the right shoulder and thrown over the left shoulder again, like a long, wide, and very fancy scarf
- The palla is decreasing in size, becoming less cumbersome
- Rental Clothing
- By the Imperial period the importance of Senators, Equestrians, and their wives demonstrating the wealth and status of the family at formal, social gatherings had reached the point where rental businesses sprang up. Individuals could rent luxurious clothes with elaborate jewelry to match. While wearing the items, they would be accompanied by special attendants who would pass as confidential freedmen/women but who were actually agents of the costume purveyors who were charged with ensuring that the borrowed items were not damaged and were returned promptly.
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