A hairy topic

**Brennus** · 09-10-2011, 17:49

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if people could offer any assistance in my search for answers. I am wondering about hair, specifically different cultures attitudes towards hair (legnth, colour, style etc). I know a few things about this subject already; that amongst continental Celts long hair, drooping moustache and clean shaven cheaks were fashionable amongst the nobility; amongst non-Spartan Hellenes long hair on men was seen as effeminate whilst short hair on women was a sign on slavery; that Britons used lime to add an intimadating spiked affect to their hair before battle; and that amongst certain Germanic tribes (such as the Suebi and Batavi) hairstyles were a method of tribal identification.

If people can teach me anything new concerning hair in antiquity I will be very grateful.

**Arjos** · 09-10-2011, 18:22

mmmmm only ones I can add are: beard fashionable before Alexandros, while after not as much (for example Kallinikos was nicknamed Pogon); Romans shaved body hair with olive oil; Caesar was self conscious of baldness; around Mesopotamia and Persia beards were sign of aristocratic virility...

BTW good to see you Brennus ^^

**Brennus** · 09-10-2011, 19:06

Originally Posted by Arjos

mmmmm only ones I can add are: beard fashionable before Alexandros, while after not as much (for example Kallinikos was nicknamed Pogon); Romans shaved body hair with olive oil; Caesar was self conscious of baldness; around Mesopotamia and Persia beards were sign of aristocratic virility...

BTW good to see you Brennus ^^

Hmmm, very interesting, especially Caesar being self concious about being bald.

Also thank you, I haven't been very active lately as I was excavating a Gallo-Roman site in the Bituriges territory over summer.

**antisocialmunky** · 09-10-2011, 19:36

Celts spiked their hair and used lye heavy soap that burned off most of their body hair and bleached their nipples so they looked like Super Saiyans.

**The_Blacksmith** · 09-10-2011, 23:35

Hadrian made beards popular to the romans... before that, it was seen as barbaric...

**CaesarAugustus** · 09-11-2011, 00:55

Beards and longer hair was worn by the Romans until c. 3rd century BC, when men began to shave and cut their hair short. Full body hair removal was also common for both sexes. Hadrian brought beard back into fashion in the middle of 2nd century AD, either in his philhellenism or possibly to cover blemishes on his face. Roman women sported elaborate hairstyles and imported wigs made of red and blonde hair from the north (or sometimes black hair from India) were popular among the upper class. In the Hellenic world, I think that short beards and longer hair was always fairly widespread. In the Iran and the Celtic world, longer beards were more favoured. Monarchs in the Hellenic and (especially) Eastern cultural sphere often sport elaborately curled hairstyles on depictions in coins etc. Confucianism made extremely long hair the norm for both men and women (in men it was bound up) in China during antiquity, as cutting one's hair was regarded a breach of filial piety.

**Brennus** · 09-11-2011, 07:45

Originally Posted by CaesarAugustus

Beards and longer hair was worn by the Romans until c. 3rd century BC, when men began to shave and cut their hair short. Full body hair removal was also common for both sexes. Hadrian brought beard back into fashion in the middle of 2nd century AD, either in his philhellenism or possibly to cover blemishes on his face. Roman women sported elaborate hairstyles and imported wigs made of red and blonde hair from the north (or sometimes black hair from India) were popular among the upper class. In the Hellenic world, I think that short beards and longer hair was always fairly widespread. In the Iran and the Celtic world, longer beards were more favoured. Monarchs in the Hellenic and (especially) Eastern cultural sphere often sport elaborately curled hairstyles on depictions in coins etc. Confucianism made extremely long hair the norm for both men and women (in men it was bound up) in China during antiquity, as cutting one's hair was regarded a breach of filial piety.

WOW! Thanks for that! I think its interesting how both Caesar and Hadrian were concerned about their physical appearance, it makes them seem alot more human in my opinion. Roman wigs must have smelt awful.

**Cute Wolf** · 09-12-2011, 09:17

actually, too long hair for men, if they don't wash it regularly, can turn into stinky mess rather easily, especially if they work in hot, humid conditions

**Brennus** · 09-12-2011, 10:50

Originally Posted by Cute Wolf

actually, too long hair for men, if they don't wash it regularly, can turn into stinky mess rather easily, especially if they work in hot, humid conditions

I know the feeling. Excavating a Roman wall while you feel your hair turn into wet rope.

**LusitanianWolf** · 09-13-2011, 17:35

About Lusitanians, Callaicans, Asturians, Cantabrians, Vasconians and other iberian mountaineer tribes (STRABO
GEOGRAPHY p61 Book III Chapter 3)

7 All the mountaineers lead a simple life, are water-drinkers, sleep on the ground, and let their hair stream down in hick masses after the manner of women, though before going into battle they bind their hair about the forehead. (...)

I'm hairy as a lusitanian

More:

Polybius' description provides a good example of the tremendous visual impact and fear that the Celts instilled in Roman armies before they engaged in the fight: naked, furiously shaking their long hair in order to intimidate the enemy, shrieking brutally, bragging and defiant, they showed an outrageous contempt for their own life (Brunaux 1996a: 141-151; Marco Simón 1990: 132 ff., 1993; Pelegrín n.d.b; Rankin 1987: 70-71, 74, 80, 112, 115). The same is true of Celtiberians to a great extent.

http://www4.uwm.edu/celtic/ekeltoi/v...opena_6_7.html

Celts and celtiberians were the fathers of headbanging XD

**Brennus** · 09-14-2011, 12:36

Originally Posted by LusitanianWolf

About Lusitanians, Callaicans, Asturians, Cantabrians, Vasconians and other iberian mountaineer tribes (STRABO
GEOGRAPHY p61 Book III Chapter 3)

I'm hairy as a lusitanian

More:

http://www4.uwm.edu/celtic/ekeltoi/v...opena_6_7.html

Celts and celtiberians were the fathers of headbanging XD

Ooh excellent, more reading material to keep me busy. Also, unknowingly, you have managed to help me with another problem. For a while now I have been trying to find circular patterns on Celtic art, your link has just the kind of artefacts I am looking for. Thank you!