NORTHERN THRACIAN COSTUME

I must admit that one of the reasons I chose to model this army is that they are visually interesting, and thus presented a number of artistic challenges. The basic costume of the pre-Hellenized Thracian peoples was a tunic (zira), cloak (zeira), cap (alopekis), and calf-high boots (embades). To this was sometimes added Celtic trousers (bracae). Materials were hemp, flax, and wool for tunic, cloak, and trousers. The original Thracian cap was made from fox-fur, often constructed so that the mask (i.e., the face of the deceased fox) was arranged above the wearer's forehead. It had prominent neck and cheek flaps, probably originating as the forelimbs (cheek flaps) and hindquarters (neck flap) of the fox. This developed into a cloth cap style known as the Thracian cap. Neighboring peoples (e.g., the Skythians, Phrygians, and Syrians) had similar, but distinct cap styles—basically, regional variations on the same basic theme of a soft conical cap with the top folded forward onto the forehead. Amongst the Thracian peoples, it had prominent (sometimes exaggerated) cheek and neck flaps in imitation of the ancient fox cap—the imitation was sometimes made more explicit with the addition of a fox mask (a real one) sewn onto the forehead. Tunic, cloak, and sometimes trousers were often brightly dyed with linear geometric patterns. Tunics could be either short-sleeved, long-sleeved, or sleeveless. The cloak was thickly napped to help the wearer cope with the cool summer nights and harsh winters of the northern Balkans. The cloak was usually worn over the left shoulder, pinned with a single brooch or fibula on the right shoulder (this left the weapon hand free, and in a pinch may have allowed the wearer to use his cloak to ensnare enemy weapons). The boots were usually made from fawn-skin and often had a prominent folded-over upper edge, sometimes with several distinct flaps. Trousers were usually tucked into the boots. The southern tribes seem to have only worn trousers in winter or inclement weather, while the northern tribes seem to have worn them year-round (this could be accounted for both due to the increased importance of cavalry in the north, since riding a horse without trousers on a wool saddle-cloth would be extremely uncomfortable, and by the harsher climatic conditions). The Thracians are among the north European peoples that practiced tattooing, using an indigo (i.e., dark blue) dye made from the woad plant (isatis tinctoria). Although ancient authors describe Thracian warriors as having tattoos, they do not describe them in detail and they are nowhere illustrated, but we may theorize that they likely used similar patterns to those present on their other personal accoutrements (i.e., linear geometric designs). The northern Thracian Getae and Agathyrsians apparently took this a step further, sometimes dying their hair blue. It is also interesting to note that most ancient authors describe the Thracians as being "redheaded," although modern DNA analysis indicates that most Thracians would have shared the broad physical characteristics of the Mediterranean peoples (dark hair, brown eyes, olive skin). Whether this is simply the product of Mediterranean authors tending to homogenize "northern barbarians" as all tall with fair or red hair and blue eyes, or something else, is unknown. Personally, I like to think this indicates another hair-dying practice (e.g., perhaps blue was for nobles and red for common warriors). Topknots and beards were common, and may have been a symbol of manhood or nobility—the Thracian cap was, apparently, originally designed to accommodate the topknot.

Beginning in about the fourth century BCE, close contact between the Greeks, Macedonians, and Thracians worked changes on southern Thracian costume, although amongst the northern Thracians Hellenistic influences were less important than Celtic, East Germanic, and Skytho-Sarmatian influences. Celtic influence was especially strong after the great Celtic invasion/migration into and through the Balkans (third century BCE). In the south, the distinctive tunic, cloak, and boots gave way to Greek styles, and Thracian warriors seem also to have adopted short hair and clean-shaven faces. No tattoos or colored hair. In the north, tattoos, beards, and topknots continued to be the style through to the end of the Dacian period (ca. early second century CE). The cap, however, lost its long cheek and neck flaps, conforming more to the style worn by the Skythians, Sarmatians, and Alans. Indeed, some of the East Germanic peoples (Goths, Scirians, Heruls, Rugians) seem to have adopted this cap, probably as a result of contact with the Sarmatians, Alans, and Carpians. Tunic styles changed as well. Northern Thracian tunics were generally plain, dyed a single color, or were decorated with brightly colored and intricately patterned hems around the neck, cuffs, and thighs. The lower hem (i.e., the part that wraps around the hips or upper thighs) was usually long, down to mid-thigh or even knees, although it was deeply pierced with an inverted triangular cut-out on both sides, with similar cut-outs in the outside of the sleeves of short-sleeved tunics. The hem patterning followed the contours of the cut-outs. Boots or shoes continued to be worn in the north, although it is difficult to know what they looked like because the Dacians seem to have adopted the Celtic fashion of wearing the cuff of the trousers over the outside of footwear (i.e., not tucked into the boots), sometimes tied at the ankle or wrapped in puttee-like bindings (similar to the East Germanic peoples). However, the Dacians were known for continuing to wear baggy trousers, and these seem to have still sometimes bore the bright linear geometric patterns of earlier times (especially at the cuff and/or mid-thigh). Unfortunately, the evidence for cloth patterns is worse for the later periods than it is for the earlier periods, and this makes it difficult to know for certain whether the Dacians continued to use the same cloak patterns as the ancient Thracians. The evidence for the ancient patterns comes mainly from Grecian vases, and the images often clearly show patterns on clothing. The main sources we have for the Dacians, however, are Roman monuments—e.g., Trajan's column (Rome), the Tropaeum Traiani (Adamclisi, Romania), and the Arch of Constantine (Rome). These monuments have wonderful, highly detailed images, with a wealth of information about clothing, armor, weapons, shield patterns, etc. Unfortunately, although they were once painted, the paint has not survived the centuries (except for tiny traces left in cracks and crevices, which is how we know they were once painted). However, some details were incised or done in relief, and what there is more often than not shows an attachment to old Thracian motifs. For example, shield patterns often display linear geometric patterns, some even having an image of an ancient Thracian pelte (I find the idea of picturing a shield on a shield perversely entertaining). I tend to believe that most cloaks probably retained these traditional patterns in some form. At least some northern Thracian tribes seem to have adopted some Celtic fashions, including the wearing of gold or silver torcs (a thick, often intricately incised, band worn around the neck, wrist, or mid-bicep), but I think Celtic influence tends to be overstated in many modern works. The ancient Celts used checkered, plaid, and vertical stripes on tunics, trousers, and/or cloaks (they were known for outrageous flamboyance), as well as tunics similar to those worn by the Dacians, except without the cut-outs. It is likely that a smattering of Celtic fabrics and styles would have been worn by the Dacians, but traditional Thracian styles were likely more prevalent.