Roman Mosaics, Floors that Talk

From the winding streets of the old souq, I took an equally meandering taxi ride across the city to the Bardo Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of mosaic floors from the Roman Empire.

The ancient mosaics in the Bardo Museum narrate a gripping story concerning the four-and-a-half centuries of Roman domination in ancient Tunisia.

From these mosaics, it soon becomes clear how lavishly the Romans lived in Tunisia with huge estates, outdoor banquets, entertainment, wine drinking, and public games.

I loved the ancient Jacuzzis! (I'm sorry...I couldn't resist!)



Photos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Carthage—A Pillar of Western Civilization

During the 9th century BC, the ancient Phoenicians were searching for ports on their way from their homeland (modern-day Lebanon) to the mines of Southern Spain, conveniently founding the city of Carthage, which now lies north of Tunis—the capital of Tunisia.

In the Phoenician language, Carthage (Qart-ḥadašt) meant ‘the new city’ and referred to a colony of cities along the Gulf of Tunis.

The Phoenicians were not just skillful seafarers and fervent traders, but they were also avid inventors, laying the foundation of Western culture and civilization.

One of Phoenician inventions flashes before our eyes everyday—the alphabet!

They also invented purple dye, from which they derived their name: Phoenician (from the Greek phoinikos) and Punic (in Latin)—both of which mean 'purple', the color in which they dressed.

When the Phoenician homeland (present-day Lebanon) was invaded in 538 BC by Cyrus, the king of Persia (modern-day Iran), waves of Phoenicians sailed to Carthage.

Carthage soon emerged the greatest Phoenician colony and a major maritime power in the Mediterranean, ultimately entering into conflict with the Roman Empire.

Carthage waged 3 wars against Rome and, after the third loss in 146 BC, was completely destroyed by the Romans, who rebuilt Carthage and dominated the region for nearly 4 ½ centuries.

The greatest memories of the ancient Phoenicians in Punic Carthage lie in the cemeteries of children, where thousands of tophets are found.

Afterward a walk around the museum, I went to the once-walled city, which overlooks the remains of the harbor of ancient Carthage. The city was called Byrsa, meaning ‘citadel’ in the Phoenician language.

Upon the hill, I stood on the mounted glory of the ancient Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans. There, I even lifted my eyes to see the mountains of Sicily through light haze in the distance!

I then traced my steps down to the ancient arena, the amphitheatre, the cistern, and finally the port—all of which were rebuilt by the Romans after the destruction of Phoenician Carthage.

Phoenician Fashion
If you would like to read more about how Phoenician styles have also appeared on the runways today, go to Phoenicians the People of Purple.

As you know, purple and all of its wonderful shades have been a dominant color for the past few seasons.

Just remember, the first men to wear purple were the ancient Phoenicians—the People of Purple!

Punic Fashion
For more information on the menswear of Carthage, or what I call “Punic fashion,” go to Carthage, of Phoenicians and Punics.

Roman Fashion
One of the predominant features of Roman menswear was draping, a trend that has been appearing on the runway for several seasons.

For details on how Roman styles rear their head today, read Roman Blockbusters, Byzantium & Barbarians.

See the photo gallery here.

Photos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Roman Blockbusters, Byzantium & Barbarians

Ninety years before the birth of Christ, Naples aligned with Italic tribes in a defensive front called Italia, which was doomed to failure against the indestructible war machine, Rome. Italia’s defeat swept Naples and the entire bay under the domain of Rome in 82 BC.

Although the islands were transferred back into Naples’ hands in 29 BC, Rome retained use of them as resorts. Despite the diffusion of the Roman culture and the Latin tongue, Greek language and culture persisted in Naples and on the islands until the 6th century of our era. Cities like Pompeii and Herculeum, however, were entirely Roman cities.

Five hundred years later, the collapse of the Roman Empire created a vacuum in southern Italy and paved the way for the Byzantine Empire to impose its rule in AD 553, governing its possessions through the nomination of local noblemen. From 661-1137, these dukes, as they were fitly called, progressively forged a sphere of autonomy.

The Roman dress code was complex, reflecting the individual’s social status, gender, and language. Talk about “in your face”!

Stately and dignified, Roman dress was a bit more cumbersome than that of the Greeks. The actual garments, however, were similar to Greek clothing, except for the toga.

Made of wool, this flowing garment was draped carefully around the body to create graceful folds, leaving the right arm exposed and the left arm covered to the wrist. Colors varied according to age and social rank.

Underneath, Roman men wore a tunic, often striped, which was rectangle in shape with openings at the shoulders. Footwear consisted of sandals with leather soles and long laces that were tied up the leg. Clean-shaven, Roman men sported short hair.

As for Byzantium, Roman dress was developed by adding ornamental embellishments, headdresses, and length to the toga. Skull caps were popular, as well as the colors gold and violet; in essence, less earthy than the Romans in the West.

2010 Trends & Takeaways from the period:
In addition to more recent “nomadic” influences, the Roman art of draping has guided many spring/summer 2010 collections.

Inspired by the long voluminous layering effect of this period, designers have employed sheer, lightweight—almost airy fabrics—in their 2010 creations, adding a stylish flow and revealing the skin.

Photo top left Ceasar's Murder, Public Domain.
Photos middle right & bottom left Copyright Men's Fashion by Franesco.