An Introduction to Ancient Roman Hairdressing - Kingdom Arts & Sciences 2024

My entry for Calontir's 2024 Arts & Sciences display. I wrote this in fits and starts and then, like a true college student, finished it the night before because I'm actually a college student and also really, really good at procrastinating. It's a skill that serves me poorly (hah) in my job and my schoolwork and my hobbies. 

All this to say, I hope that this is helpful to anyone who is interested in starting ancient Roman hairdressing! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Ancient Roman Hairdressing - The Tower

Emma D. Martin

An introduction to ancient Roman hairdressing 

and an exploration of the various ways 

the Roman “tower” hairstyle can be achieved

2024 Calontir Kingdom A&S

October 21, 2024

St. Joseph, Missouri

Tri-Levels

                    Category: Clothing Accessories

Introduction

Ancient Roman women had a variety of complex and fascinating hairstyles, shown by surviving stone portraiture, frescoes, and paintings. Creating an ancient Roman hairstyle on yourself or another person can be intimidating. Where do I start? How is the style held up? What if I don’t have enough hair?

While some of the more extravagant styles seem unapproachable, if one breaks down the style, uses period techniques, and allows for experimentation (and maybe the inclusion of modern tools!), even the most complicated ancient Roman styles are possible. 

This project is not meant to be a completely period recreation of an ancient Roman hairstyle; instead, it is meant as an introduction to the world of Roman hairdressing, including period techniques and methods. Modern tools and methods will be used when necessary. This project is a way to showcase how one hairstyle can be done on different hair lengths, as well as how one may achieve the style on their own. 

This paper will break down the basics behind ancient Roman styles, what tools were used, and how these tools were employed, and will focus on the striking “tower hairstyle”, seen in many portraits and busts. I will analyze different approaches to create the tower hairstyle using surviving portraits and break down the components of each method. Then, with the help of models, I will showcase some of the methods on different hair lengths and textures, including how false hair may be used to supplement one’s own hair. I will also show how I create the style on myself, and how I mix modern techniques into the styling process. 

Basics of Ancient Roman Hairstyling

Most of the background information used in this project, and in my other Roman hairstyling ventures, come from Janet Stephens’ excellent research. Stephens, a professional hairstylist, has been examining, researching, and recreating ancient Roman hairstyles since 2001. She is a “hairdressing archaeologist”, and published her paper “Ancient Roman Hairdressing: On (hair) pins and needles”. Stephens’ paper has proven that a broadly accepted assumption, that Roman women must have used wigs to create the elaborate updos, was not accurate. Instead, Stephens proposed that instead of wigs and hairpins, ancient Roman hairstylists used a woman’s own hair, a large needle, and thread to shape and hold the intricate styles (Stephens, 2008). 

It is important to note that the elaborate styles seen in bust portraiture are most likely depicting the upper classes. To achieve the complicated styles at the time, another set of hands was often needed. Most wealthy ancient Roman women would not have done their hair themselves; instead, they would have relied on an ornatrix, or a trained hairdresser. These ornatrices were enslaved, or previously enslaved (Stephens, 2008). It is not easy to recreate these styles on oneself in a completely period manner, which is why the inclusion of modern tools is helpful, and sometimes necessary. 

Hairdresser’s Kit

Just like a modern hairdresser, an ornatrix would use a variety of tools to create the desired hairstyles. In period, these tools would include:

• Hair bodkins (also known as hair sticks)

• A comb

• Large, blunt needles

• Thread or yarn in a color matching the hair

• A cutting tool, such as snips or scissors

• Oil or water to tame the hair

• Curling rod (calamistrum) or curling rags; and

• False hair

• (Stephens, 2014)

Hair bodkins could be used to separate hair, comparable to a rat-tail comb, and hold hair in place while sectioning and styling. Hair bodkins could also be used as an anchor for simpler styles like buns. Bodkins may be made of wood, bone or precious metals and stones (Stephens, 2008). 

Needles, made of bone or wood, were used to stitch hair together and to scalp hair, and created a very secure style when used with thread. The needle’s tip would be blunted, so as to protect the client. Thread or yarn should match the color of the client’s hair, so as to be invisible. 

Curling rods, called calamistrum, are attested in period documents, but none have survived. They were shaped like a modern ring mandrel or curling wand. Curling rags are small, rectangular pieces of cloth that are tied around hair to create curls overnight (Stephens, 2014). 

A period kit may also include false hair and hairpieces (Stephens, 2012). There are attestations of false hair in period sources, and one such hairpiece has been found in Britain, dated to the time of Roman colonies (York Museum Trust, n.d.)

Modern Substitutions

Modern substitutions to a period Roman kit may include:

• Needles made of plastic or metal

• Modern hair clips or claws to replace hair bodkins

• A rat tail comb for hair separation to replace hair bodkins 

• Bobby pins for additional support

• Elastic hair ties for additional support; and

• Modern curling tools

Modern substitutions may be used at any time. Personally, I have found that hair ties are helpful when the hair is very straight or fine, or when doing the style on yourself. Bobby pins and modern hair clips are good at holding the hair in place while doing the style on yourself or a sitter is unable to provide an extra set of hands. Hair ties and bobby pins can be hidden and will have little impact on the final style

Plastic and metal needles, rat tail combs, and modern curling tools are are more convenient, affordable, and, in the case of curling tools, faster and safer, than period tools. These tools have little to no impact on the final hairstyle. 

The Tower Hairstyle

Breakdown of the Style

The tower hairstyle is described by Stephens as a tall bun built from parallel braids was a popular hairstyle in Rome during the 2nd Century AD (Stephens, 2016). The style is made up of a series of braids created at the back of the head, sewn into two panels, and wrapped atop the head. In addition to the striking appearance of the style, it is also versatile. It works on any hair type, from curly and coily to straight and smooth.

Tower hairstyles may be simple or complicated in their construction. In my experience, the simplest way to achieve the style is to pull the hair into a medium-high ponytail, divide the ponytail into 8 braids, and stitch the braids into two panels, 4 braids per panel. The panels are then wrapped around the head and stitched in place using the head hair as an anchor.

More complicated methods involve braiding the hair at the top of the skull and transitioning that braid or braids into the multi-braid panels as shown in Image 1, or creating the multiple braids at various points on the skull, twisting the braids together, and then creating the panels (Images 2 and 3).  

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3

With each construction method, the front hair - generally the hair between the forehead and ears - may be dressed to the wearer’s preference. Both painted and carved depictions of the style show numerous options. For example, Fayum mummy portraits show one women with what appears to be cornrows at the front of her hair, while two others have their hair arranged in curls. A variety of ornamentation can also be worn with the style as well.

Image 4 Image 5 Image 6

Creating the Style on All Hair Types

The tower style is one that can be done on many types of hair, from long to short, straight to curly. While many Roman people had curly hair, not all Romans did. And despite the prevalence of curly hair shown in portraits, both marble and painted, most of these ancient styles are achievable with straight or wavy hair. The tower hairstyle in particular is a very good place to start, as it lends itself easily to all hair types. 

The tower style is also a good go-to for people with shorter hair. It is fairly simple to create the braided panels from false hair and stitch those on to the head in place of natural hair. False hair can also be used by those with long hair who desire more volume or drama. 

False Hair - Creating the Hair Piece

To create the hair piece, create 4 wefts of hair with loose braiding hair, which can be found online and in wig shops. Braid each weft. Once each weft is braided, lay the braids out so they touch each other. Take a blunt needle with yarn or thread and make and thread it through one of the braids in the middle of the braid. Tie off the end of the yarn with an overhand knot. 

Run the needle and yarn through the 4 braids in the middle of the braids. Stitch the braids together by going back and forth, top to bottom:

Tie off the end of the braid panel. Repeat the process on the other side of the braid panel, and you’re done (for a visual tutorial, please see Figures 1a and 1b  in the appendix). 

Once either your or your sitter’s hair is ready (i.e., put up), you will wrap the braided panel around the head. Have your sitter hold the hair in place, or pin it in place, as you sew the panel to the head hair, just as you would if no false hair was used. 

Creating the Hairstyle - Step by Step

Using Natural Hair

1. Pull the hair up into a medium-high ponytail and secure with either thread and needle or a hair elastic

2. Divide the ponytail into two equal sections

3. Braid, wrap, or clip one section of the hair so that it stays out of the way

4. Divide the remaining section of hair into 4 braids

1. Depending on the hair type, either tie the ends off or leave them untied

5. Repeat the process on the second hair section.

6. To create a panel, take one set of braids and stitch together in a u-shape from the base of the ponytail to the tips of the hair. Secure the ends. 

7. Repeat with the remaining set of braids.

8. Wrap the two panels about the top of the head.

9. Using needle and thread, stitch the panels to the scalp-hair and to each other.

10. Ensure everything is secure and tie off the thread.

Using a Hair Piece

1. Pull hair up into a medium-high ponytail and secure with either thread and needle or a hair elastic.

2. Divide the ponytail into two equal sections.

3. Braid the sections so you end up with two braids.

4. Wrap the braids around the head and temporarily secure them in place with a bodkin, bobby pins, or the sitter’s hands.

5. Stitch the two braids in place.

6. Take the hair piece and wrap it about the head, just as was done in Step 4.

7. Stitch the panel to the braided hair and scalp-hair.

8. Ensure everything is secure and tie off the thread.

Conclusion

The tower hairstyle is a good starting point for aspiring ancient Roman hairstylists, myself very much included. It is a striking, but simple, style that works on many hair types and lengths. And it’s also very much possible to create elaborate Roman styles on oneself using modern tools mixed with period methods. 

I hope that this presentation encourages others to attempt ancient Roman and other SCA period styles! While they may be intimidating to start with, once you start to break down and analyze the styles and are open to modern tools if and when needed, these beautiful pieces of history can be yours to wear. 

Bibliography

1. Stephens Janet. Ancient Roman hairdressing: on (hair)pins and needles. Journal of Roman Archaeology. 2008;21:110-132. doi:10.1017/S1047759400004402

2. Stephens, Janet. Flavian-Trajanic Hairstyle: Orbis Comarum, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs9fLwm-9-k&list=PLhacomyGRF2PBSm-ByuuNup6TGB3B8aAI&index=9&t=556s. 

3. Hair Piece. n.d. Hair. York Museum Trust. https://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/collections/search/item/?id=1131&search_query=bGltaXQ9MTYmc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9aGFpciZWViU1QjAlNUQ9JkdzJTVCb3BlcmF0b3IlNUQ9JTNFJTNEJkdzJTVCdmFsdWUlNUQ9JkdlJTVCb3BlcmF0b3IlNUQ9JTNDJTNEJkdlJTVCdmFsdWUlNUQ9JkZOPQ%3D%3D. 

4. Stephens, Janet. Hairstyle of Agrippina the Elder, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1ZRgz-Pdh4&list=PLhacomyGRF2PBSm-ByuuNup6TGB3B8aAI&index=3.

5. Stephens, Janet. The “Tower” Hairstyle: 2nd Century AD, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZFY9Acxq7M&list=PLhacomyGRF2PBSm-ByuuNup6TGB3B8aAI&index=21. 

Images

Image 1: Marble Portrait of Matidia Minor. 0 138AD. Marble, 37.5 cm. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/251061.

Image 2: Cristina. “Hairstyling in Ancient Rome.” Un Po’ Di Pepe (blog), January 31, 2017. https://unpodipepe.ca/2017/01/31/hairstyling-ancient-roma/. 

Image 3: Cristina. “Hairstyling in Ancient Rome.” Un Po’ Di Pepe (blog), January 31, 2017. https://unpodipepe.ca/2017/01/31/hairstyling-ancient-roma/. 

Image 4: Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, August 26). Fayum Mummy portraits. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayum_mummy_portraits# 

Image 5: Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, August 26). Fayum Mummy portraits. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayum_mummy_portraits# 

Image 6: Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, August 26). Fayum Mummy portraits. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayum_mummy_portraits#