Masculinity and Dress in Roman Antiquity

Kelly Olson is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Her other works include Dress and the Roman Woman (Routledge, 2008).

• List of illustrationsAcknowledgments AbbreviationsIntroduction: Roman clothing 1 Tunic and toga: clothing and rank 2 Other aspects of costume 3 Poverty, mourning, and sordes4 Clothing and status 5 Class and SexualityConclusionBibliography Index

The reviewers were Carly Daniel-Hughes, Concordia University, Canada; Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Uni of Edinburgh, UK; Judith Lynn Sebesta, Uni of South Dakota, USA; and Kristi Upson-Saia, Occidental College, USA. I am not sure which comments come from which reviewer because of the way the files have been saved. Review 1"I already know and respect Prof. Olson’s work and I am delighted and excited to see that she has committed her expertise to a new volume on dress to compliment her excellent study of female clothing in Rome… This is excellent. It is clearly the fruit of a long research project and draws on expertise and experience of working in the field for the last decade. Scholarship is up to date and vital." Review 2"Currently there is no single monograph in English on the subject of Roman masculine dress…. Olson’s intention to discuss all masculine articles of dress and in relation to societal communication would provide new information and perspective while utilizing current scholarship." Review 3"Kelly Olson provides us with the first full-length scholarly monograph on men’s dress in Roman antiquity. Adding to the wealth of scholarship on how gender identity was constructed and maintained through bodily performances, Olson explains how masculine rank and status was constructed, maintained, and negotiated through dress. As a whole, this is a much needed volume that collects together the evidence—literary and artistic—on men’s dress." Review 4"The monograph makes a needed contribution to the study of Roman dress, and advances the study of Roman sexuality and masculinity."