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Contrary to popular opinion, the Romans liked and wore colorful clothing. Yellows and reds were the cheapest dyes so some combination of those colors would be worn even by the poor. Browns and the natural wool colors were also worn by the lower classes. As one's wealth increased, so did the colors of one's clothing. The more expensive dyes and fabrics would be used. Contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, white was only worn by politicians seeking election. The natural color of the Roman toga was an off white. A candidate for an elected office would have his toga made pure white by having it dusted with chalk, supposedly symbolizing his honesty and purity of purpose.

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12y ago
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10y ago

A toga was usually white. The Ropmans also had coloured togas which were symbols of status.

The toga preatexta, was white and had a purple border. It was worn by current officers of state, former officers of state in festivals and other ceremonial occasion and on burial, some priests and the male children of senators from the age of 12 to 17. It was also worn by the last three kings of Rome during the monarchy which preceded the republic. During the period of rule by emperors it could also be bestowed as a honour independently of rank.

The toga picta was purple and embroidered with gold. During the republic it was worn by generals when they celebrated their triumphs and the preator urbanus when he rode the chariot of the gods into the circus (Chariot Racing track) to open a games festival which were called ludi Apollinares (the games of Apollo). During the period of rule by emperors it was worn by officers of state at the gladiatorial games, by the consuls, and by the emperor on special occasions.

Just a small footnote to the toga's color. Although it was white, it was not the "white" that we think of. It was an off white (wool white). The only time it was our idea of white was when a man was running for a public office. Then he would have his togas made pure white with chalk to as to impart the impression that he was an honest, honorable candidate.

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10y ago

The tunics in ancient Rome were literally all colors. The Romans went in for bright colors. Since the red and yellow dyes were the cheapest, tunics of the poor who were the most numerous, were some combination of those dyes. As one climbed further up the wealth ladder the colors of the tunics took on shades of blues and purples or combinations of those colors (that is, yellow and blue making green which in turn could be intensified or muted). Forget about the white tunic that Hollywood uses. The Roman white was actually an off white and even in this dull shade, showed the dirt too quickly to be practical.

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8y ago

Adult Roman male citizens wore an undyed woollen toga (the toga virilis), which was off-white. This was a woollen cloth of perhaps 20 ft. (6 m) in length which was wrapped around the body and was generally worn over a tunic.

Men of distinction wore the toga preatexta or the trabea. The latter had horizontal purple stripes. Originally it was worn by the kings of early Rome. Later it was worn by young equites (equestrians, cavalrymen) during a parade of men of this rank (the transvectio equitum). The equites were the second highest social rank in Rome. There was a purple and saffron striped trabea was worn by the augurs, the priests who performed augury (divination of the omens of the gods). The toga purpura was an all purple trabea which was first worn by Julius Caesar and later by the emperors in ceremonial occasions.

There was also the toga preatexta. It was also off-white but it had a purple border. It was worn by:

· Freeborn children prior to puberty. Originally the right to war this toga was reserved to the sons of patricians (aristocrats). Then it was extended to all freeborn boys as a sign of 'free birth.' Boys stopped wearing the toga praetexta and assumed the toga virilis on the coming of puberty, from the age of 14 to the age of 17. The first wearing of the toga virilis was part of the celebrations on reaching maturity which involved a procession form the Forum to the Capitoline hill. This wearing of the toga virilis was called tirocinium fori, which was an introduction and training for public life. During the Second Punic War the right to war this toga was also extended to the sons of freedmen, provided that their mother was a patrician. It is known that girls also wore the toga preatexta, but it is uncertain whether they were given this right at the same time as boys or later. They wore it until they got married, upon which, they wore the stola

· The two top magistrates (executive officers of state): the consuls and the praetors; the dictator (an extraordinary officer of state) and the aediles (junior magistrates). It is uncertain whether the other magistrates (censors and quaestors) and the plebeian tribunes also wore this toga.

· Senators and former officers of state (magistrates), but only for ceremonial occasions.

· Some priests (e.g., the Flamen Dialis, the s quindecemviri sacris faciundis, the septemviri epulonum)

· The magistri vicorum on the day of the religious festival of the compitalia, a festival of the wards of Rome. These magistri were selected from the common citizens of the ward to preside over this festival.

· Magister Collegii, These were the presidents of a collegium or corporation.

The toga pullawas a black or grey toga which was worn for mourning. The pulla preatexta also had a purple border and was worn by the man who the last rites for the deceased. Usually this was a relative.

The toga picta was purple and embroidered with gold thread. It was worn by victorious commanders in triumphal parades.

The toga candida was a toga artificially whitened with bleach. It was worn by candidates for political office.

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11y ago

Roman tunics were various colors. Hollywood would have you believe that the Romans went around in white togas and tunics, but this just ain't so. The streets of ancient Rome (or any other ancient city) were a sea of color. The colors ranged from a light brown to the "royal" purple. The wealthier the person, the more expensive dye he/she could afford for clothing. The two least expensive dyes were yellow and red, so its almost a given that the poor would make more use of shades of those colors. Incidentally, the Roman toga was not white. It was an off white or ecru. The only time a toga was pure white was when the man was running for public office. He would then have a couple of his togas whitened with chalk as a symbol of his pure intentions to work for the public good if elected.

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13y ago

They wore red uniforms.

Wow that shows how well you know the Roman army! They wore bronze helmets and metal armour.

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10y ago

The tunics of the Roman soldiers were red. This was the colour of Mars, the God of War.

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13y ago

the mainly wore red and gold clothing

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Q: What colour were the clothes the Romans wore?
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The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.The Romans did NOT wear sandals into battle. The Roman soldiers wore the "caliga" which was a stout military boot. In fact, the Romans themselves only wore sandals indoors. Outdoors they wore shoes.