Figure 1.---There are many modern depictions of the Germanic tribes that overwealmed the Roman Empire. The Romans had been fighting the barbrians for centuries, first the Celts and then the Germans. Here we see a period depictions of the Roman Empire fighting the Goths from the Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus. (250–260 AD). The tomb was found near the Porta Tiburtina. Here you can see clearly the the trousers the Germabs woire nd the kilt-like unifirms the Roman legionaires wore.

Pants were not the first garments worn by ancient man. They are a more complicated gsrment than other options like the kilt-like garment worn in Egypt. Weaving and sewing were advance technologies. Ths only with the advance of civilization do we begin to see pants. An even then they would have been more expensive than othger alternatives. Some historians believe that pants or trousers may have been conceived about 6,000 years ago by the nomadic horsemen of the Ukranian Steppes. Notably this was also the approximate time that horses were domesticated. [James and Thorpe] There are certain pratical aspects to wearing pants when riding. We know that Synthian horsemen wore pants. There are metal-work and vase depictions of this as well as Greek commentary. Pants seem especially useful in temperate climates that experience cold weather. They also seem suited for horsemen. The Greeks were not at all impressed with trousers, considering them a barbaric form of dress. Hippocrates in particular was critical of Synthian pants. The Greeks also mention tht the Celts wore pants and the Romans made similar comments. Both considered the bractice barbaric. The German tribes which over ran the Roman Empire wore pants-like garment. While there is not much contemprary images from the nomadic tribes of Central Asoa like the Synthians. The Romans have left us images of the Celts and Germans, mostly sculpture. The Romans did leave paintaings, but few depicted the northern barbrians.

Ukranian Steppes

Pants were not the first garments worn by ancient man. They are a more complicated gsrment than other options like the kilt-like garment worn in Egypt. Weaving and sewing were advance technologies. Ths only with the advance of civilization do we begin to see pants. An even then they would have been more expensive than othger alternatives. Some historians believe that pants or trousers may have been conceived about 6,000 years ago by the nomadic horsemen of the Ukranian Steppes. Notably this was also the approximate time that horses were domesticated. [James and Thorpe] This included mnu different [eople including the Synthians, Bactrians, Persins and others.

Iranian Steppe Peoples

There are certain pratical aspects to wearing pants when riding. We know that Synthian horsemen wore pants. There are metal-work and vase depictions of this as well as Greek commentary. Pants seem especially useful in temperate climates that experience cold weather. They also seem suited for horsemen. The Greeks were not at all impressed with trousers, considering them a barbaric form of dress. Trousers may have originated in pre-history, but the evidence is veruy limited. We begin to see much more evidence in the mid-1st millenium BC. The Greeks provide some of the earlist evidence in their depictions of horse-riding Iranian peoples people (6th century BC). This included not only the Persins to the east with which Greece became locked in mortal combat. There were a range of peoples from the Steppe, some allied to the Persians by conquest. These people included the Armenians, Bactrians, Scythians, Tigraxauda, Scythians, Xiongnu Hunnu, and others. are known to have worn pants. And they wre not seen as apecifically male garment. Both genders are believes to have worn them. [Lever, p. 15] Hippocrates in particular was critical of Synthian pants. While artistic depictions by the barbarian tribes are rare, both the Greeks and Romans provide fascinting images. The Greeks used the term 'ἀναξυρίδες' (anaxyrides) for the trousers worn by Steppe people and 'σαράβαρα' (sarabara) for the looser dome trousers worn by the Scythians. [Lidel and Scott] The Greeks themselves did not wear trousers, even horsemen. In fact they thought that tousers were absurd garments. [Eripides 182 and Aristophanes 1087] The Greek word was 'θύλακοι' (thulakoi/ pl. of 'θύλακος' thulakos). The meaning was something like 'sack' applied to all the various forms of loose trousers worn by Persians Steppe people. [Lidel and Scott]

Celts

The Greeks also mention that the Celts wore pants and the Romans made similar comments. Both considered the bractice barbaric.

Rome

Republican Rome from the earlist known period saw the draped clothing of Greek and Minoan (Cretan) culture as observeable badge of civilization. They looked down on trousers and the people who wore them. [Lever, p. 50.] The Romans unlike the Greekjs began to view yrousers differently as they expand beyond the warm Mediterranean basin. The practicality and warmth of trousers resulted in their being worn by some legiojaires, especially those stationed in northern Europe. [Paune, p. 97.] he Romans wore two types of trousers. The Feminalia fit snugly and usually fell opnn to knee or mid-calf length. ["Feminalia,"] The Braccae was a loose-fitting trouser that was closed at the ankles. ["Braccae"] Both types of Roman trousers appear to hve been first adopted from the Celts who inhabited much of northen Europe before the arrivl of the Germanic tribes. As the Empire expanded, conttact with the Persian Near East and the Germanic tribes increased the prevalence among Romans. Feminalia and Braccae wee first orn by legionaires, but were gradually adopted by civilans. Various material (including leather, wool, cotton and silk) were used to make them. [Lever, p.21] Motly they were seen as autilitarian or cld weather garments and men for formal war continued to war togas.

Germans

The German tribes which eventually over ran the Roman Empire wore pants-like garment. While there is not much contemprary images from the Celts and Germans, the Romans like the Greeks have left us images, mostly sculpture. The Romans did leave paintaings, but few depicted the northern barbrians.

Sources

Aristophanes, "Wasps".

Euripides. "Cyclops".

James, Peter and Nick Thorpe. Ancient Inventions (New York: Ballantine Books, 1994).

Lever, James. Costume and Fashion: A Concise History (Thames and Hudson: 2010).

Lidel. Henry George and Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon (Perseus Digital Library).

Payne, Blanche. History of Costume (Harper & Row , 1965).

"Braccae," The Fashion Encyclopedia.

"Feminalia," The Fashion Encyclopedia..