The Stereotypes Of The Toga In Roman Society

The Roman toga was seen as a rite of passage and citizenship that varied in limitation of wearer within Roman tradition over different periods. The toga in its origins was worn and available to all until gradually becoming a garment only being associated with men. The toga was worn by boys reaching manhood while girls were allowed to wear the toga before their puberty. The male profession that togas were most associated with was orators and the Roman government members. Women and men were both allowed to wear the toga in early Roman tradition although limitations of age and profession did exist it wasn’t until the Imperial period that women weren’t allowed to wear it. This stereotype of the toga as a manly garment was developed within Roman …show more content…
The toga was a way to distinguish between a Roman citizen and conquered foreigner. “The toga was a national dress which distinguished the Romans (the gens togata of Vergil) from other peoples” (Davies 125). Control was represented in the toga, by how a man was able to effectively maintain his posture and outward toga appearance, as the toga itself was uncomfortable. Toga-wearing depicted a man’s status by how he wore the toga also known as toga control. Wearing a toga represented male power and dominance in a similar fashion as animals hackle and make their hair stand on end (Davies 122). The toga was a tool to make a man’s figure appear wider and larger similar to animals’ reaction to display power and dominance when attacking or defending themselves. Overall the toga was seen as a tool with visual importance in order to use the body to address the public through toga-wearing and manner of using the …show more content…
Augustus’ value of traditional social hierarchies and toga symbolism led to toga-wearing becoming a requirement as public attire. The Emperor Augustus tried to reinforce the idea of toga-wearing as a symbol of Roman citizenship by establishing it as the required attire in public settings. According to Suetonius, the Emperor Augustus became enraged when he saw a crowd of people dressed in non-toga apparel causing him to proclaim: “The Romans, lords of the world, the nation clad in the toga!” (Davies 127). Emperor Augustus believed in the concept of civilis princeps in which a senator behaves and dresses in the traditional toga as a way to distinguish Romans from lesser or conquered nationalities. The toga was an emblem for Roman citizenship but also represented similarly to the impression that heroic nudes left on the viewer. Eventually Augustus’ toga-wearing requirement might have been too strict for everyday use as it led to the decline of wearing the distinctive