Macedonian clothing - some trivia about "Causia"

[yiannis]

We know a great deal about the way Macedonians were dressed for war, but not their everyday attire. One particular issue for me was that I've heard many times about their distinguishing hat, the Kausia, but had a very limited one idea on how it actually looked like. So, Kausia was large felt hat with broad brim. Apparently it was quite characteristic. The Persians even distinguished Macedonians because of it (Yauna Takabara - Greeks wearing hats).
The name comes from the word "Kausis", meaning "heat", so apparently it's primary function was to protect from the heat while on the countryside.A quick search provided me with info that it was being worn in other agricultural areas as well (Aetolia, Ionia, Thessaly etc) and it's similar to the hats that tribes like the Kalash still wear. It was later also adopted by the Romans.
Here are some pictures:
http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0025597.html
http://www.rudnik.com/rudnik/greece/les ... G2237.html
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~semitic/Ces ... ?obnum=894
Apparently it became also a state symbol, as seen in this Indo-Greek coin of king Antimachos: http://www.classicalcoins.com/product104.htmlHope you find this interesting...
Cheers, Yiannis

[*Amyntoros*]

Yiannis, you are a gem! I've been looking for some good online photos of the kausia for a while, so this post is very welcome. :-)I've seen some interesting images offline - the 1990 National Geographic article on The Golden Hoard of Bactria has a couple of photos of pieces of jewelry which portray someone wearing the kausia (although the writer insists on calling it a Macedonian "helmet"). The exhibition in New York at the Onassis center has full-size reproductions of the paintings found in a tomb at Aghios Athanasios, Thessalonki. The catalogue reproduces most of the images, but unfortunately not the two on the side of the entrance which are almost life-size portraits. There are several young soldiers in a frieze shown wearing the kausia (front and side views), and what I find particularly interesting is that the hat seems to vary in style. Some are quite small brimmed - almost appearing to have no brim at all, rather like a pointed beret - yet the image on one side of the door shows a man wearing a hat with a considerably wide brim. These tomb paintings are in extraordinary condition, by the way, down to the details on the soldier's boots. I spent a fair amount of time searching for images of the tomb online, but so far I haven't been able to find anything. Best regards,Linda Ann (Even though I'm logged on, Pothos won't let me post under my member's name.)

[kate]

Hi Yiannis,Thanks for the post. I like finding out about the everyday details of Alexander's world, it makes it easier to understand. In fact, if anyone here on Pothos knows of a good book on daily life in ATG's time I'd love to read it. I've read "Fishcakes and Courtesans" for example, but that's a bit specialised. Something on the lines of Liza Picard's books on Restoration and Georgian London would be great - assuming they exist! (I can wholeheartedly recommend Picard's books if anyone wants to know about seventeenth or eighteenth century daily life - they are fabulously detailed.)Cheers,Kate

[yiannis]

Glad you found the topic interesting. I thought it is!You can find frescoes from Macedonian tombs (as well as many more pictures of artifacts) here:
http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Helle ... _10_1.html (check also the links on the left)The thing is that they're not in chronological order, so you have to browse a bit...Regarding Agios Athanasios tomb, I couldn't find any pictures. Only info, that the excavation is ongoing and that the finds will soon be presented in an archaeological conference in Thessaloniki.

[Cyrus]

If Macedonians had hats similar to the Alexander's hat here: http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/neareast/ne06.html then I think Persians were right to call it "Taka" (Vine)!

[ruthaki]

I thought it an interesting costume detail in the Alexander movie that some of them were wearing these hats, only they looked as though they were woven of straw, which makes more sense for a sun hat. Felt is very hot.

[amyntoros]

Thanks again, Yiannis. I'm sure that they will publish details of the conference in Greece, but I do hope they also put out their findings in English. I've seen cross-references to the Agios Athanasios tomb before - apparently some details were published in an issue of Makedonika, but as a non-academic I don't have a clue how to get a hold of that particular publication.Best regards,Linda Ann

[amyntoros]

Kate, I don't believe there is any book on daily Macedonian life in Alexander's times - mostly because so very little has been known about it. However, knowledge is increasing as more and more archaeological discoveries are found, and various related articles have being written. There is one concerned mostly with clothing and hairstyles called Women in Macedonia which can be found in the catalogue of the Onassis exhibition. I typed it up as a word file, but obviously can't post it for copyright reasons. However, if you are interested, send me an email (york51@aol.com) and I'll send it to you as an attachment. The same applies to anyone else, of course. :-)Best regards,Linda Ann

[a spiropoulos]

what you say about straw hats, maybe true of his aux army of captured domains, but his macedonians wore this, copied below from the text."Ptolemy again rose and said to Alexander, I think it would
be a good idea if we put some sort of symbol on our fousatta,
in order for us to tell ourselfs from the enemy, in a
close encounter. Then we shall not be confused, but can take
advantage of their confusion and take the advantage over our enemies.
Alexander seemed very pleased at the advice he had recieved.
He immediately gave orders that throughout his kingdom, all fousatta
will wear iron uniforms with the symbol of the lion on them as
the mark of Macedonia.""Upon arriving and entering the city fortress, he was confronted
by Antigonus, one of Alexanders great generals .He said to Kantakusen,
Bow before this head-dress of Alexander that hears his mark
the mark of the lion and rams head."
"He ordered them to place rams horns on their head pieces.
he gave orders for all horses to be covered
with skin of the crocidile,dipped in gold.
After giving these orders he turned to
generals and said, when all these things are prepared,
then, I shall he ready to wage my war of conquest.
LIONS*- Alexander used this as his symbol, and it is one of the
reasons that he was called him the lion of Macedonia, It also accounts
for the odd name given to the city of Alexanderia by some,leontopolis,
or city of the lion.
This name was not due to a dream of Philip as some have stated."what Macedonian would wear a straw head gear in battle with swords, arrows, and lances.
he is better off naked.as

[marcus]

Hi Angelo,I don't think anyone has suggested that they wore the kausia in battle. All the bestMarcus

[yiannis]

Quite so! Apparently, a felt or straw Kausia would provide little protection against a cutlass

[amyntoros]

Hi Ruth,Well, the hat originated in Macedonia so it isn't a surprise that it was made out of felted wool. Changing it to straw in a hotter climate would make sense, but if you look closely at some of the images you can see that the kausia might be difficult to reproduce in straw. The hats on the Aghios Athanasios frieze look to be fitted to the head (some are pulled down low) and here they actually look like they are being warn for warmth rather than sun protection. And the kausia that Alexander wore and gave away to his friends was purple! I'm not sure if the dyeing techniques of the time would work on straw. :-)Best regards,Linda Ann

[yiannis]

Good point! Kausia, from Kausis (heat), not because it protected from the summer heat, but because it warmed people's heads during the winter. (and then of course there should be a summer version...)

[ruthaki]

I can't imagine them ever wearing a felt or straw hat in battle. That would be no protection at all.
And straw (or reed woven), for summer is much more practical as well as water-proofed. Yes, felt for winter and mountain climates for sure!

[abm]

Paul Faure, La vie quotidienne des arm+¬es dGÇÖAlexandre, Paris: Hachette 1982.Pascale Ballet, La vie quotidienne +á Alexandrie, Paris: Hachette 1999.