Toga (Nova Roma)

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Cn. Cornelius Lentulus in classical toga virilis and tunica.

How to make a toga

Always made of wool, and coming in a variety of colours for various uses, the toga is more than a mere bedsheet. At the very least, it should be semicircular in outline, but a more genuine effect is obtained by having the outline of the toga in the following shape:

The letters found on the diagram below refer to the proportions of the dimensions of the toga. Each "unit" is measured on the wearer from the base of the neck in front to the floor, with shoes on. The following proportions are taken from The Roman Toga by Wilson, and are for the "large Imperial toga". Togas worn during the Republican era were somewhat smaller.

Points c and d are in the middle of their respective sides. Each side and end should be exactly the same length as its opposite (bC should equal aD, etc.).

Line lengths (1 unit = distance from neck to floor with shoes on): AB & ab: 2 + 3/7 units + waistline measurement. Aa & Bb: 1/2 unit EF: 6/7 unit CD: 1 + 5/7 units cd: 2 + 5/56 units cQ: 27/28 unit dQ: 1 + 1/8 units

The toga is worn by folding the top half down along line AQB. It is then wrapped around the wearer and eventually is draped over the left arm, which is held up and which bears much of the weight of the toga.

See the "Toga Pattern Generator" among our external links.

Photo Gallery

• Nova Roman Citizens, Togate
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  Cato and Scaevola

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  L. Equitius Cincinnatus in early republican toga praetexta

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  Cn. Lentulus assists T. Iulius consul to put on the early republican toga praetexta

External Links

• How to Make a Toga with excellent PDFs and information about the toga, tunica, palla and stola
• Creating a Toga with a unique "Toga Pattern Generator"

Books

The Roman Toga

Lillian May Wilson. (June 8, 2006). Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 1428630759
Paperback, reprint.
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The World of Roman costume

edited by Judith Lynn Sebesta and Larissa Bonfante.. (1994). University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 029913850X
cross disciplinary, with hairstyles
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