The ''synthesis'' (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

for something "put together"), probably synonymous with ''cenatoria'', "dinner clothes" (from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

'' cena'', "dinner"), was a garment or outfit worn in

ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

for dining or special occasions such as the

Saturnalia Saturnalia is an Roman festivals, ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the List of Roman deities, god Saturn (mythology), Saturn, held on 17 December in the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities until 19 December. By t ...

. It seems to have been worn by both men and women, and was particularly a fashion of the mid-1st to early 2nd century AD. More is known about the etiquette of wearing the ''synthesis'' than its appearance. It is mentioned mainly by

Martial Marcus Valerius Martialis (known in English as Martial ; March, between 38 and 41 AD – between 102 and 104 AD) was a Roman and Celtiberian poet born in Bilbilis, Hispania (modern Spain) best known for his twelve books of '' Epigrams'', pu ...

, who also uses the word ''cenatoria''. This attire was characteristically colorful, but lacking further description in ancient literature or a secure identification of the ''synthesis'' in art, scholars have viewed it variously as an ensemble or suit, or a single garment that was a sort of robe or

tunic A tunic is a garment for the torso, usually simple in style, reaching from the shoulders to a length somewhere between the hips and the ankles. It might have arm-sleeves, either short or full-length. Most forms have no fastenings. The name deri ...

- mantle combination. The ''synthesis'' was part of the urbanite's wardrobe, and fashionable Romans might own several. The garment might be conspicuously expensive, and Martial mentions one of his friends giving a fine ''synthesis'' to his mistress on the occasion of the

Matronalia In ancient Roman religion, the Matronalia (or Matronales Feriae) was a festival celebrating Juno Lucina, the goddess of childbirth (" Juno who brings children into the light"), and of motherhood (''mater'' is "mother" in Latin) and women in gene ...

. Residents of the

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

would have rare occasion to wear the ''synthesis''. The

toga The toga (, ), a distinctive garment of Ancient Rome, was a roughly semicircular cloth, between in length, draped over the shoulders and around the body. It was usually woven from white wool, and was worn over a tunic. In Roman historical tra ...

, the Roman male citizen's characteristic garment, was cumbersome and considered inappropriate for reclining at dinner. At the same time, exposing too much flesh at dinner was offensive to Romans; funerary dining scenes in

Roman art The art of Ancient Rome, and the territories of its Republic and later Empire, includes architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Luxury objects in metal-work, gem engraving, ivory carvings, and glass are sometimes considered to be m ...

showing bare torsos have a symbolic or religious meaning. The ''synthesis'' was a colorful alternative for private leisure, and wearing it in everyday public life was a faux pas. It could be worn during the day in public only during the

, the December

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

during which social norms were turned topsy-turvy. Martial treats the wearing of the ''synthesis'' as characteristic of the holiday, as was the wearing of the "cap of freedom" ('' pilleus''). It may originally have been women's clothing, adopted by men as part of the holiday's role reversals. The emperor

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...

was criticized for choosing a loose-belted ''synthesis'' as everyday attire. The priesthood of the Arval Brothers wore a white version of the garment at their ceremonial banquets. The officers of the Arvals (''magister'' and '' flamen'') held annual office from one Saturnalia (December 17) to the next. Robert E.A. Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'' (Cambridge University Press, 2009), p. 112.

References

{{Reflist Roman-era clothing

See also

References