Sagum

Statue of a warrior wearing sagum with shield from the first century BC Chr.

The sagum (probably loan from the Celtic ) was an ancient Roman type of coat made from a rectangular piece of wool . The upper third of the coat was turned over and served as additional moisture protection for the shoulders. In bad weather, the coat was pulled over the head. The sagum was closed with a brooch on the right shoulder. It was also placed on the floor as a bed or as a blanket.

The sagum was mainly worn by Roman soldiers . It could literally stand for the military par excellence: sagum sumere (literally: “to put on the sagum”) meant “to go to war”. But the lictor also wore the sagum when he accompanied the official to the provinces.

See also : Gorgeous Coat , List of Garments