Tunic
The tunic (Latin tunica, - ae f ) was a garment that was worn by Roman antiquity to the middle ages for men and women directly on the body. Nowadays, it refers to a particular mode section in women's fashion.
The tunic in antiquity
The tunic was originally, like the Greek chiton, of two rectangular pieces of cloth, of which the rear was slightly longer than the front, and was held together only on the shoulders with the help of fibulae. Popular was sewn together at the shoulders and sides of tunic. She was made of wool and initially without sleeves. Later, short, not reaching to the elbows, sleeves were common. It was held together by the hips by a belt and handed in men below the knees down, in women up to the ankles. Roman citizens wore the stole during special occasions over the tunic, the toga, matrons. Otherwise you wore against the cold, or for reasons of fashion over each other several tunics.
Soldiers wore white woolen tunics, centurions ( = captains ) red. In the Historia Augusta appears tunica russa ducalis or militaris ( " red tunic ") as the garment of senior officers ( = dux ). Pictorial evidence to confirm this. The soldiers of the Navy ( classis ) wore pale blue tunics, the nautical officers dark blue. In the older literature (for example, Johann Jacob Hofmann ( 1635-1706 ), " Lexicon Universale", Leiden 1698 ) ( epigram 14.129 ) is often assumed because of a misunderstood place in martial that all Roman soldiers wore red tunics. This misconception is still to be found, even in re-enactor groups.
At the tunic of the senators a broad purple stripe was in the middle of the chest down to the lower hem woven on ( tunica laticlavia ); the knight was by two narrow purple stripes excellent ( tunica angusticlavia ), but carried them to the imperial period, the tunica laticlavia. The victors wore Purpurtuniken, embroidered on the hem palm trees in gold were ( tunica palmata ).
The monochromatic, undecorated tunic ( tunica recta ) received the young men at the same time with the toga virilis and women when they married when Bridal Gown by their parents. This wedding dress should be woven by the bride herself according to ancient custom, this custom was but rarely practiced towards the end of the Republic, so that Suetonius it apart as extraordinary that Augustus his daughter and granddaughters stopped for weaving.
The tunic in the Middle Ages
This garment was, however, not only worn by the Romans in ancient times. She was also, from the time of the early Middle Ages to the Late Middle Ages popular ( in this era until about the 16th century ), in the whole of Europe. But as early as the 12th century the fashion changes. The tunic was no longer the primary piece of clothing for men and women, but has been modified and varied by new cuts. In contrast to the Roman Empire where the tunic was an undergarment in the first place, it was worn in the Middle Ages as a robe.
The level of support or the wearer was expressed in the nature and lavishness of the decorations: While farmers wore rather simple, short tunics, which non-disabled working in the fields, which the nobles were more plentiful and decorated often with elaborate broad borders the hems decorated. Often the tunic at the neck had a slit in the center front, which facilitated the slip on. This could be closed by a primer. In the Middle Ages, the tunic was always worn belted.
Matter
The material usually linen or wool was used among wealthy people also silk.
Colors
While for farmers from the 12th century uncolored, gray-blue or gray clothing was prescribed, the tunics of the nobles and the clergy were often very colorful. The clergy were from the 13th century in terms of jewelry and colors imposed far-reaching rules ( so could not, for example green and red fabrics are used), to which, however, just the high priests often did not keep.
The tunic in the Modern
From the late 20th century, a long, mostly loose cut blouse / outerwear was designated as a tunic, which are shorter than a mini dress. These are usually designed to be worn with a pair of trousers.