Other Militaria

Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian. more...

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Military uniforms in the form of standardised and distinctive dress, intended for identification and display, are typically a sign of organized military forces equipped by a central authority.

History

A distinction should be made between uniforms and ethnic dress. If a particular people or culture favoured a distinctive dress style this could easily create the impression of uniformly dressed warriors. The issue is further complicated by the fact that the distinctive features of particularly effective warrior classes were often copied - weapons, armor, fighting style and native dress. Thus the distinctive and colourful clothing of the Hungarian hussars became a model for hussar units all over Europe. The kilts and sporrans of Scottish highland clans were distilled into regimental dress when the British Army started to recruit from these tribal groups.

Mercenary or irregular fighters could also develop their own fashions, which set them apart from civilians, but were not really uniforms. The clothing of the German Landsknechte of the 16th century is an example of distinctive military fashion.

Antiquity

There are a few recorded attempts at uniform dress in antiquity, going beyond the similarity to be expected of ethnic or tribal dress. One example is the Spanish infantry of Hannibal who wore white tunics with crimson edgings. Another is the Spartan hoplite in his red garment. The terracotta army discovered in the tomb of the first Emperor of Chin (c. 200 BC) have a superficial similarity but closer examination shows up to seven different styles of armour, which do not appear to have been standardised within separate units.

Rome

The legions of the Roman Republic and Empire wore fairly standardised dress and armour. However the concept of uniforms was not part of their culture and there were considerable differences in detail. Even the armour mass produced in state factories varied according to the province of origin. Fragments of surviving clothing and wall paintings indicate that the basic tunic of the Roman soldier was of red or undyed (off-white) wool. Senior commanders are known to have worn white cloaks and plumes. The centurions who made up the long serving backbone of the legions were distinguished by traverse crests on their helmets, chest ornaments corresponding to modern medals and the long cudgels that they carried.

Late Roman and Byzantine

The regular thematic (provincial) and Tagmata (central) troops of the Byzantine Empire (East Roman) are the first known soldiers to have had what would now be considered regimental or unit identification. During the tenth century AD each of the cavalry "banda" making up these forces is recorded as having plumes and other distinctions in a distinctive colour. While some auxiliary cohorts in the late Roman period had carried shields with distinctive colours or designs, there is no evidence that any one Roman legion was distinguished from another by features other than the numbers on the leather covers protecting their shields.

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