A Woven Empire: Textiles and the Roman World Main Menu

Introduction

33854
Textiles were an essential part of the social, political, and economic environment of the Roman period, from the fledgling society in the 8th Century BCE through the Republic and the Empire until its decline in the 5th Century CE. Textiles were hand woven, expensive, and highly valued products that were passed along and reused. Garments were used to display social status and rank, denoted one’s religious vestments, and were used as cultural signifiers to distinguish groups outside of the Roman state.
 
As natural fibers have a proclivity to rapid decomposition, there are comparatively few artifacts remaining of actual textiles left for study and can deteriorate further upon handling or even exposure to light. Because of this, textile and clothing research has been oft-neglected as a viable means of research. While the few remaining textiles are fragile and easily damaged, archaeologists have uncovered many artifacts that relate both to the production and distribution of textiles which allow for further study. Combining their research with primary source texts concerning textile and garment use allows us to gain a better understanding of just how integral textiles were to the Roman economy and to their daily lives. A digital project focusing on the visual and textual sources for the subject allows for further research on the topic without exposing the artifacts to possibly harmful display, as well as allows readers to gain a better understanding on the subject.


In this project, I will focus on the production techniques that turned the humblest of flax or wool fiber into ropes, tapestries, religious offerings and the triumphal toga picta. I will also explore the ways that Rome relied on its provinces for production, how clothing was used as a class or cultural marker, sumptuary laws, and describe why purple was such a valued resource to the Romans.

Whereas today our society sees textiles as a disposal good due to the industrialization and democratization of textile work, the Romans valued their textile so greatly that they are brought up time and again by our literary sources. Authors of the time used garments to depict the character and disposition of their subjects and textile goods were used as ransom and currency. By analyzing this aspect of Roman society, we are able to view the connection between trade routes, Roman values, and manufactory.  
 

This page has paths:

  1. Table of Contents Kelsea Marie Holian