The basic costume of the early Byzantine soldier consisted of a skaramangion (Persian style riding coat) and a chlamys or cloak. A set of these clothes was given to each soldier every year as part of his pay (1) . The Emperor wore the soldiers' skaramangion and chlamys, as described in the 9th century Book of Ceremonies and depicted in numerous works of art of the period, as befitted his position as head of the army. His courtiers and even the Empress wore the same pieces (2). The chlamys is one of the basic garments of the Byzantine world and is also easy for us to reproduce.
The chlamys has been described in many basic costume books as a half-circle, based on pictorial evidence and later ecumenical examples of copes and other ceremonial cloaks (3). One widely referenced SCA publication describes it as a "trapezoidal pattern with the narrowed end being at the top." (4) The 19th century archeological finds at the Egyptian city of Antinoe, however, reveal a cloak which is more circular, almost oval in shape. This oval is then folded into a half-circle shape, worn pinned over one shoulder.
The graves at Antinoe, dated to the 6th century, were discovered in 1896 by Albert Gayet (the cloak was uncovered in 1897). Some of the pieces found include many examples of fine wool/cashmere skaramangions (Persian riding coats), and wool pillows filled with feathers, which were found under the heads of the bodies. Unfortunately for serious textile scholars, the excavation was not carefully documented and many of the numerous textile finds were carelessly displayed and mounted before being divided and sold. In most cases, the silk trimmings on the pieces were removed and dispersed (sold or given to museums all over Europe or to private collectors) while the original garments were thrown into a box stored in an attic in Lyons. Most of the fragments are now housed at The Louvre and the Musee Historique de Tissus of Lyon. The restoration of the chlamys was undertaken in 1992 in conjunction with an exhibition at Musee Historique de Tissus explaining the art of textile restoration (5).
The cloak from Antinoe is cut from a single piece of cloth in the shape of an oval (there are no seams present, except for a line of stitching across one end of the fold line, forming a sort of pleat). At the other end of the central fold of the chlamys there is a long thin padded section, which appears to have been built up by multiple repairs to the fabric. This is where the cloak fibula would have held it together at the soldier's shoulder (6).
The fabric of the chlamys is a fine yellow-beige wool with decorative tablions of green-tinted wool with no figures or pattern (see diagram below). The tablions consist of two rectangles further divided into four squares by a thin beige wool band at the fold line so that when the cloak is folded and pinned at the shoulder, the squares seem to meet at the fold line (7). While some early scholars have described the tablions as being worn only by the Emperor or Empress (8), it appears that simpler versions were in fact used by the average soldier, as evidenced here. Dignitaries and royal courtiers might also wear tablions depicting either a religious scene or a portrait of the emperor, with the extravagance of the tablions indicating the rank of the wearer (9).
Before restoration, the chlamys was wadded into a ball and was giving off a strong odor, indicative of the presence of micro-organisms. The conservators' first step was to wash it carefully. They then found the fragile fabric had fallen apart into four pieces, which were mounted on a modern cloth base for reconstruction and to give strength to the fabric. As they reconstructed the cloak, the assumption was that it was a chasuble of some sort, a full circle with a slit for the head. However if this was the case, when the chlamys was worn the green tablions would end up in the wrong place, at least according to the pictorial evidence. Since they also found no evidence of an actual slit, the experts decided that the cloak must have been folded in half, which fits in with the pictorial depictions of the tablion placement as well as the literary evidence describing the folding of the chlamys (10).
This folding is listed in the 9th century Book of Ceremonies as being an integral part of court ceremony:
Several passages refer to the folding of the chlamys and to its roles in ceremonial. The master of ceremonies, having folded the chlamys according to his habit, gives it to the emperor. The representatives of the factions hold the folded chlamys of the demarch and receive gifts from the emperor.
In the Golden Hippodrome, the master of ceremonies takes the outer border of the chlamys of the emperor and having folded it, gives it to the emperor, who from his throne blesses the people with this fold according to custom…At the promotion of a kouropalates, it is shown that the sovereigns take an active part in the ritual of putting on the costumes. The sovereigns give the purple chlamys to the kouropalates, and they attach the fibula with their own hands (11).
But why have a full circle folded over, especially when later liturgical and ceremonial cloaks have evolved into only half-circles? One possible supposition would be that the full circle or oval cloak, folded over when worn, performed double duty as a blanket or that the folded over cloth gave extra warmth when needed on campaign. Perhaps it made more sense to have only the half-circle for ceremonial purposes, giving the same line and fall as the full circle without the bulk. Also, the soldier's cloak was of linen or wool, while the ceremonial and liturgical cloaks are usually of more costly figured brocade or elaborate embroidery (12). And as the piece moves westward and time elapses, with western fashion imperfectly imitating the Byzantine court example, the ceremonial aspect of this military uniform becomes more important than the earlier practical considerations of the lowly soldier.
Notes:
1. The skaramangion and the chlamys, especially
in the more expensive silks and brocades and sometimes encrusted
with jewels or pearls, were considered to be equal in value with
cash or gold. These items of clothing were in great demand throughout
Europe as gifts to diplomats from the Byzantine Empire. See Piltz
1997, pp. 39-51; Kondakov 1924, pp. 7-49; Oikonomides 1997, pp.
200-202.
2. Pilitz 1997; Kondakov.
3. Houston 1931, p. 86. See also Schuette and Muller-Christiansen
1963 for numerous examples of liturgical copes.
4. Everson (aka Veleda of Isenfir) 1986, p. 34
5. For discussions of the history of the find and how the textiles
were distributed, recovered and restored, see Geijer 1968, pp.
22-25; Kondakov; Calament 1994, pp. 207-225; Martiniani-Reber
1986, pp. 1-21 and 54-56 and Martiniani-Reber 1997.
6. Calament 1994.
7. Ibid. I have yet to uncover the exact dimenion of the restored
chlamys; however, contemporary illustrations portray a knee-length
tunic underneath with the chlamys being somewhat longer and sometimes
as long as floor length, especially in the case of the Emperor
or Empress.
8. See Houston, page 88; also Boucher, p. 148.
9. Piltz 1997, p. 49.
10. Calament 1994.
11. Piltz 1997, pp. 49-50.
12. Piltz 1989.
Diagram of the chlamys from Antinoe, after Calament:
OURCES
Boucher, Francois; 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment; Harry N. Abrams, Inc.; New York; p. 148.
Calament, Florence; "La collection de tissus coptes d'Antinoe: problemes de dispersion et exemple d'intervention"; La Conservation des Textiles Anciens; Journees d'Etudes de la SFIIC; Paris; 1994; pp. 207-225.
Everson (aka Veleda of Isenfir); Fashion at the Center of the World; Moongate Designs; Canton, MI; 1986; p. 34
Geijer, Agnes; "An Iranian Riding Coat Reconstructed"; Bulletin de Liaison du Centre International d'Aetude des Textiles Anciens"; Lyon; 1968; pp. 22-25.
Houston, Mary G.; Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Costume; A&C Black Ltd.; London; 1931.
Kondakov, N.P.; "Les Costumes Orientaux a la Cour Byzantine"; Byzantion 1; 1924; pp. 7-49.
Martiniani-Reber, Marielle; Textiles et Mode Sassanides; Musee du Louvre; 1997.
Martiniani-Reber, Marielle; Soieries Sassanadies, Coptes et Byzantines V-XI Siecles; Lyon, Musee Historique des Tissus; 1986; pp. 1-21 and 54-56.
Oikonomides, Nicolas; "Title and Income at the Byzantine Court"; Byzantine Court Culture from 829 to 1204 (ed. Henry Maguire); Harvard University Press; Washington, DC; 1997; pp. 200-202.
Pfister, R.; "Le Role de L'Iran dans les Textiles D'Antinoe"; Ars Islamica XIII-XIV; 1948; pp. 46-74.
Piltz, Elizabeth; "Middle Byzantine Court Costume"; Byzantine Court Culture from 829-1204; Harvard University Press; 1997; Washington, DC; pp. 39-51.
-----"Costume in Life and Death in Byzantium"; Byzans och Norden; Almquist & Wilsell International; Stockholm, Sweden; 1989; pp. 153-165.
Schuette, Marie and Muller-Christiansen, Sigrid; A Pictorial History of Embroidery; Frederick A. Praeger, Publ.; New York; 1963.
© 2002 Linda M. Blowney