Clothing in ancient Greece
[1] Clothing in ancient Greece included a wide variety of styles but primarily consisted of the chiton, peplos, himation, and chlamys.
[2] Ancient Greek civilians typically wore two pieces of clothing draped about the body: an undergarment (χιτών : chitōn or πέπλος : péplos) and a cloak (ἱμάτιον : himátion or χλαμύς : chlamýs).
[10][page needed] Amorgina (τὰ ἀμόργινα), were fine, muslin-like fabrics made from amorgis (ἀμοργίς), a particular type of flax.
[4][page needed] The elite typically wore purple as a sign of wealth and money as it was the most expensive dye due to the difficulty in acquiring it.
[9][page needed] An example of this embroidery can be seen in Homer's Iliad where Helen is described as wearing a purple textile where she embroidered a scene of Trojans in battle.
[17] The epiblema (ἐπίβλημα), periblema (περίβλημα), amfelone (ἀμφελόνη) were general terms for the outer clothing[18][19][20][21] while the endyma (ἔνδυμα) was most often applied to the underclothing.
[2][6] It consisted of a wide, rectangular tube of material secured along the shoulders and lower arms by a series of fasteners.
[3] To deal with the bulk sometimes a strap, or anamaschalister was worn around the neck, brought under the armpits, crossed in the back, and tied in the front.
[28]The peplos was a rectangular piece of woolen garment that was pinned at both shoulders leaving the cloth open down one side which fell down around the body.
[35] Βirrus or Βurrus (βίρρος), was a cloak or cape furnished with a hood; a heavy, coarse garment for use in bad weather.
The cento was also employed in more utilitarian ways, such as being placed under the saddles of mules or used as a cap under a soldier’s helmet to prevent chafing.
The encomboma (ἐγκόμβωμα) was an upper garment tied round the body in a knot (κόμβος), whence the name, and worn to keep the tunic clean.
[53] Katonake (Κατωνάκη), it was a cloak which had a fleece (nakos) hanging from the lower (kato) parts, that is a wrapped-around hide and stretched down to the knees.
[69] Paenula, Greeks called it Phainoles (φαινόλης), was a thick upper garment without sleeves, buttoned or stitched up in front, with a hood generally fastened on to it.
[73] Public female nudity was generally not accepted in ancient Greece,[72] though occasionally woman are nude in athletic events and religious rituals.
[74] Large straight pins, called peronai, were worn at the shoulders, facing down, to hold the chiton or peplos in place.
In addition, it was a broad belt worn by men round their loins, and made double or hollow like our shot-belts, for carrying money.
Furthermore, it was also called a soldier's belt, worn round the loins, to cover the juncture of the cuirass and the kilt of leather straps.
[77] Hesiod in his Works and Days advise his brother Perses to cover his feet with πίλοις inside his boots, similar to modern socks.
[9][page needed] The Athenian general, Iphicrates, made soldiers' boots that were easy to untie and light.
[84] Baucides (βαυκίδες, baukídes) or Boucidium (βουκίδιον, boukídion), a kind of costly shoe of a saffron colour, worn exclusively by women.
[89] Croupezai (κρούπεζαι, kroúpezai), croupezia (κρουπέζια, kroupézia), or croupala (κρούπαλα, kroúpala), wooden shoes worn by peasants and took their names from noise which they made.
[4][page needed] Kredemnon (κρήδεμνον) was a woman's headdress or veil of uncertain form, a sort of covering for the head with lappets hanging down to the shoulders on both sides, and when drawn together concealing the face.
[96][97][98] Ampyx (ἄμπυχ) was a headband worn by Greek women to confine the hair, passing round the front of the head and fastening behind.
It appears generally to have consisted of a plate of gold or silver, often richly worked and adorned with precious stones.
[4] The Greeks wore jewelry such as rings, wreaths, diadems, bracelets, armbands, pins, pendants, necklaces, and earrings.
[3] Common designs on jewelry in ancient Greece included plants, animals and figures from Greek mythology.
[103] Greeks used many different words to describe the earrings including the Elikteres (ἑλικτῆρες), Enotia (ἑνώτια, sometimes called Enodia (ἑνώδια) in some inscritpions), Plastra (πλάστρα), Ellobia (ἑλλόβια)[105] and ermata (ἕρματα).
The bracelet that went several times round the arm were called δράκοντες (dragons) or ὄφεις (snakes) due to their resemblance to serpents.
[112] The word πέδη was also used to describe a fetter or shackle for the ankles constructed as to deprive the prisoner almost wholly of the power of walking.
