CHAPTER V.

SILK AND GOLDEN TEXTURES OF THE ANCIENTS.

HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINED IN THIS MANUFACTURE.

Manufacture of golden textures in the time of Moses--Homer--Golden tunics of the Lydians--Their use by the Indians and Arabians--Extraordinary display of scarlet robes, purple, striped with silver, golden textures, &c., by Darius, king of Persia--Purple and scarlet cloths interwoven with gold--Tunics and shawls variegated with gold--Purple garments with borders of gold--Golden chlamys--Attalus, king of Pergamus, _not_ the inventor of gold thread--Bostick--Golden robe worn by Agrippina--Caligula and Heliogabalus--Sheets interwoven with gold used at the obsequies of Nero--Babylonian shawls intermixed with gold--Silk shawls interwoven with gold--Figured cloths of gold and Tyrean purple--Use of gold in the manufacture of shawls by the Greeks--4,000,000 sesterces (about $150,000) paid by the Emperor Nero for a Babylonish coverlet--Portrait of Constantius II.--Magnificence of Babylonian carpets, mantles, &c.--Median sindones.

The use of gold in _weaving_ may be traced to the earliest times, but seems to be particularly characteristic of oriental manners.

It was employed in connexion with woollen and linen thread of the finest colors to enrich the ephod, girdle, and breast-plate of Aaron[105]. The sacred historian goes so far as to describe the mode of preparing the gold to be used in weaving: “And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.”--Ex. xxxix. 2-8. The historian certainly does not intend to describe the process of wire-drawing, nor probably the art of making gold thread. It seems likely, that neither of these ingenious manufactures were invented in his time. The queen described in Ps. xiv., wears “clothing of wrought gold[106].” Homer mentions a golden girdle, (Od. ε. 232. κ. 543.). He also describes an upper garment, which Penelope made for Ulysses before going to Illium. On the front part of it a beautiful hunting piece was wrought in gold. It is thus described. “A dog holds a fawn with its fore feet, looking at it as it pants with fear and strives to make its escape.” This, he says, was the subject of universal admiration[107].

[105] “And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And they shall make the ephod _of gold_, _of blue_, and _of purple_, _of scarlet_, and _fine twined linen_, with _cunning work_. It shall have the two shoulder-pieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. And thou shalt make ouches of gold; and two chains of pure gold at the ends; of _wreathen work_ shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. And thou shalt make the breast-plate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod shalt thou make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen shalt thou make it.”--Ex. xxviii. 5-15.

[106] “The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.”--Ps. xlv. 13.

[107] Od. τ. 225-235.

Pisander, who probably lived at the same period with Homer, speaks of the Lydians as wearing tunics adorned with gold. Lydus, who has preserved this expression of the ancient cyclic poet, observes that the Lydians were supplied with gold from the sands of the Pactolus and the Hermus[108].

[108] De Magistratibus Rom. L. iii. § 64.

Virgil also represents the use of gold in weaving, as if it had existed in Trojan times. One of the garments so adorned was made by Dido, the Sidonian, another by Andromache, and a third was in the possession of Anchises[109]. In all these instances the reference is to the habits of Phœnice, Lycia, or other parts of Asia.

[109] Æin. iii. 483.; iv. 264.; viii. 167.; xi. 75.

Among all the Asiatics, none were more remarkable than the Persians for the display of textures of gold, as well as every other kind of luxury in dress. A tiara interwoven with gold was one of the presents which Xerxes gave as an expression of his gratitude to the citizens of Abdera (_Herod._ viii. 120.). The Indians also employed the same kind of ornament (_Strabo_, L. xv. _c._ i. § 69.); and the Periegesis (_l._ 881.) of Priscian attributes the use of it to the Arabians[110].

[110] In Europe the nearest approach to oriental habits in regard to dress was made by the Gauls. Their principal men wore collars, armlets, and bracelets of gold, and clothes enriched with the same metal.--_Strabo_, L. iv. cap. 4. § 5.

The history of Alexander the Great affords frequent traces of the use of cloth _interwoven with gold_ in Persia. Garments made of such cloth were among the most splendid of the spoils of Persepolis[111].

[111] _Diod. Sic._ L. xvii. 70. _p._ 214. _Wessel._

Justin (L. xii.) says that Alexander, to avoid offending the Persians, ordered his principal attendants to adopt for their dress “longam vestem auream purpureamque.” The dress prescribed was therefore of fine woollen cloth, or probably of silk, dyed purple, and _interwoven with gold_. Among the vast multitudes which preceded the King of Persia when he advanced to oppose Alexander, was the band of ten thousand called the Immortals, whose dress was carried to the ‘ne plus ultra’ of barbaric splendor, some wearing golden collars, others “cloth variegated with gold.” Some idea of the extravagance and pomp of the Persians on this occasion may be formed from the following passage, taken from Rollin’s “Ancient History.”

“The order Darius observed in his march was as follows. Before the army were carried silver altars, on which burned the fire, called by them sacred and eternal; and these were followed by the magi, singing hymns, and 365 youths _in scarlet robes_. After these proceeded a consecrated car, drawn by white horses and followed by one of an extraordinary size, which they called “The horse of the sun.” The equerries were dressed in white, each bearing in his hand a golden rod. Next appeared ten sumptuous chariots, enriched with curious sculptures in gold and silver; and then the vanguard of the horse, composed of twelve different nations, in various armor. This body was succeeded by those of the Persians, called “The Immortals,” amounting to 10,000, who surpassed the rest of the barbarians in the extravagant richness and splendor of their dress; for they all wore _collars of gold_, and were clothed in robes _of gold tissue_, having large sleeves, garnished with precious stones. About thirty paces from them came the king’s relations or cousins, to the number of 15,000, apparelled like women, and more remarkable for the pomp of their dress than the glitter of their arms; and after these Darius attended by his guards, seated on a chariot, as on a throne. The chariot was enriched, on both sides, with images of the gods in gold and silver; and from the middle of the yoke, which was covered with jewels, rose two statues, a cubit in height; the one representing War, the other Peace, having between them a golden eagle with wings extended. The king was attired in _a garment of purple striped with silver_; over which was a long robe, glittering with gold and precious stones, and whereon two falcons were represented as if rushing from the clouds at each other. Around his waist he wore _a golden girdle_, from whence hung scimitar, the scabbard of which was covered with gems. On each side of Darius walked 200 of his nearest relations, followed by 10,000 horsemen, whose lances were plated with silver, and tipped with gold. After these marched 30,000 foot, the rear of the army, and, lastly, 400 horses belonging to the king.

“About 100 paces from the royal divisions of the army came Sisygambis, the mother of Darius, seated on a chariot, and his consort on another, with female attendants of both queens riding on horseback. Afterwards came fifteen chariots, in which were the king’s children, and their tutors. Next to these were the royal concubines, to the number of 360, all attired like so many queens. These were followed by 600 mules, and 300 camels, carrying the king’s treasure, and guarded by a body of bowmen. After these came the wives of the crown officers, and the lords of the court; then the suttlers, servants; and, lastly, a body of light armed troops, with their commanders.”

At the nuptials of Alexander purple and scarlet cloths, _interwoven with gold_, were expanded over the guests: and a pall of the same description covered the golden sarcophagus made to contain his body. Among the splendid ornaments of the tent erected not long after at Alexandria by Ptolemy Philadelphus, there were tunics interwoven with gold: and in the procession on the same occasion, the colossal statues of Bacchus and his nurse Nysa were attired; the former in a shawl; the latter in a tunic variegated with gold. Probably we may refer to the same country and age the “golden tunic” mentioned in one of the Arundle marbles (No. xxii. 2.). Also the tent pitched by Arsace with hangings of gold and purple tissues, and the robe of similar materials worn by Arsace herself, as described by Heliodorus (_Æthiop._ vii.), relate to the customs of the same country.

Another of the successors of Alexander, viz. Demetrius Poliorcetes, wore purple garments with _borders of gold_[112].

[112] Plutarch, Demet. 41.

Themistius describes a portrait of one of the kings of Persia, who wore, together with the tiara and the collar or necklace, _a purple shawl interwoven with gold_ (_Orat._ 24. _p._ 369. _ed._ Dindorf.).

During the periods to which the preceding evidence has allusion, it is not probable that cloth of gold was in use among the Greeks and Romans except to a very limited extent. Nevertheless it does not appear to have escaped the avidity for every species of excellence, which in early times distinguished the inhabitants of Magna Græcia. For, when Pythagoras became a teacher of wisdom and philosophy at Crotona, among other lessons of frugality he persuaded the matrons to put off their “golden garments” with other fashionable ornaments, and deposit them in the temple of Juno as offerings to the goddess[113]. In a passage attributed to Menander we meet with the mention of a “golden or purple chlamys” as a suitable offering to the gods[114]. Hedylus of Samos, a writer of the same age, describes a woman of loose morals, by name Niconoe, as wearing a tunic striped with gold (_Brunck’s Analecta_, i. 483.).

[113] Justin, L. XX. c. 4.

[114] Menandri Reliquiæ, à Meineke, p. 306. Böckh, Gr. Trag. Principes, p. 157.

Attalus, king of Pergamus, is said by Pliny (L. viii. cap. 48.) to have invented the art of embroidering with gold thread[115]. Nevertheless we have seen, that gold was thus used long before the time of Attalus. But there can be no doubt, that he established and maintained a great manufacture of these stuffs at Pergamus; thus contributing greatly to improve the art, and bring these cloths into more general use.

[115] See Appendix A.

The next passage is from Dr. Bostock’s translation of the 33rd Book, ch. xix. “Gold may be spun or woven like wool, without the latter being mixed with it. We are informed by Verrius, that Tarquinius Priscus rode in triumph in a tunic of gold; and we have seen Agrippina, the wife of the Emperor Claudius, when he exhibited the spectacle of a naval combat, sitting by him covered with a robe made _entirely_ of _woven gold_. In what are called the Attalic stuffs, the gold is woven with some other substance. This art was the invention of one of the kings of Asia.”

In Book xxxv. c. 36. Pliny says that Zeuxis, to display his wealth at Olympia, caused his name to be woven _in gold_ in the compartments of his outer garment.

Caligula once wore a tunic interwoven with gold. Heliogabalus was far more profuse in regard to this kind of splendor. White sheets, _interwoven with gold_, were used at the funeral obsequies of Nero[116]. We may here observe, that the use of gold in dress almost invariably accompanied that of silk. The same Emperors who took delight in the one, indulged themselves with the other also. On the contrary, Alexander Severus, as we shall show when treating of linen in Part IV., was economical in both these respects.

[116] Suetonius, Nero, 50.

In Chapters II. and III., we quoted several passages which make mention of cloth of gold, from Tibullus, Ovid, Seneca the Tragedian, Lucan, Dio Cassius, Claudian, Virgil, Gregorius Nazienzenus, and Basil, all of which speak of cloth of gold. Ovid mentions purple garments variously colored and interwoven with gold, as belonging to Bacchus.--_Met._ iii. 556.

Publius Syrus was a writer of the same period. In the following fragment preserved by Petronius Arbiter, he compares the train of the peacock to Babylonian stuffs enriched with gold and various colors:

Thy food the peacock, which displays his spotted train, As shines a Babylonian shawl with feather’d gold!

Shawls, interwoven with gold, are mentioned by Galen[117], and by Valerius Flaccus[118]; also by Lucan in the following passage, where he is describing the furniture of Cleopatra’s palace (x. 125, 126.):

Part shines with feather’d gold, part sheds a blaze Of scarlet, _intermixed_ by _Pharian looms_!

[117] Quoted in Chapter II.

[118] Auro depicta chlamys.

The following passages also contain evidence on the same subject.

SENECA, THE PHILOSOPHER.

As yet figured cloths did not exist: gold was not woven, it was not even extracted from the ground.--_Epist._ 91.

LUCIAN

describes the tragic actors, when they performed the part of kings, as wearing a chlamys interwoven with gold[119].

[119] Somnium, vol. ii. p. 742. ed. Hemsterhusii.

APULEIUS.

They carefully spread over the couches, cloths figured with gold and Tyrian purple.--_Met._

PHILOSTRATUS

depicts Midas wearing a golden robe[120].

[120] Imag. i. 22.

NEMESIANUS.

In thy scarf’s woof much sportive gold display.--_Cyneg._ 91.

The poet is addressing Diana and describing her attire.

AUSONIUS.

Weave flexile gold within thy shawls, O Greece[121].

This is the _first_ passage since the time of Homer, which mentions Greece as concerned in weaving with gold. But Ausonius probably alluded to the Greeks of Asia Minor, as, besides the evidence produced from Basil, we have seen that Pergamus was one of the most noted places for these productions, which were on that account called “Attalicæ vestes[122].”

When Ausonius was appointed Consul at Rome A. D. 379, his friend and former pupil, the Emperor Gratian, sent him as a present a toga in which was inserted a figure of Constantius II., _wrought in gold_.--Ausonii Gratiarum Actio, § 53.

[121] Epigram 37.

[122] “I find evidence that kings wore the _striped toga_; that figured cloths were in use even in the days of Homer; and that these gave rise to the _triumphal_. To produce this effect with the needle was the invention of the Phrygians, on which account cloths so embroidered have been called _Phrygionic_. In the same part of Asia king Attalus discovered the art of inserting a woof of gold(?); from which circumstance the _Attalic_ cloths received their name(?). Babylon first obtained celebrity by its method of _diversifying the picture with different colors_, and gave its name to textures of this description. But to weave with _a great number of leashes_, so as to produce the cloths called _polymita_ (the polymita were damask cloths), was _first_ taught in Alexandria; to divide by squares (_plaids_) in Gaul. Metellus Scipio brought it as an accusation against Cato, that even in his time Babylonian _coverlets_ for triclinia were sold for 800,000 sesterces (about $30,000), although the emperor Nero lately gave for them no less than 4,000,000 sesterces (about $150,000). The _prætextæ_ of Servius Tullius, covering the statue of Fortune which he dedicated, remained until the death of Sejanus, and it is wonderful that they had neither decayed of themselves nor been injured by moths during the space of 560 years.”--_Plin. H. N._ viii. 64. (See Appendix A.)

CLAUDIAN

mentions with delight the use of gold in dress as well as of silk. His testimony has been given in chapter III. of this Part.

SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS

mentions the gold in the dress of Prince Sigismer. His testimony is also given in chapter III.

CORIPPUS,

describing the accession of Justin II. to the Empire (A. D. 565), mentions (L. ii.) his tunic enriched with gold as part of his imperial costume.

PAULINUS.

Misceturque ostro mollitum in fila metellum. _De Vita Martini_, L. iii.

We find the following law in the Codex Justinianus:

Nemo vir auratas in tunicis aut in lincis habeat paragaudas: nisi hi tantummodo, quibus hoc propter Imperiale ministerium concessum est. _Corpus Juris Civilis_, tom. v. tit. viii. leg. 2.

The “aurata paragauda” was a border of gold lace or thread. It appears that ladies might wear it on their tunics, while men were only permitted to use it in token of their official character as being in the service of the emperor. In allusion to these or similar regulations, Ælius Lampridius (34) says of the emperor Alexander Severus,

Auratam vestem ministerium nullus vel in publico convivio habuit.

The testimony of Ambrose, Jerome, and Basil has been given in Chapter III., which see.

From the book of Joshua we learn that the woven stuffs of Babylon were not confined to domestic use, but exported into foreign countries. The two chief productions of Babylonian looms were _carpets_ and _shawls_. One of the principal objects of luxury in Asia from the remotest ages, were nowhere so finely woven, and in such rich colors as at Babylon. On the Babylonian carpets were woven or depicted representations of those fabulous animals the dragon and griffin, together with other unnatural combinations of form, probably originating in India, and with which we have become acquainted by the ruins of Persepolis. It was by means of the Babylonian manufactures, that the knowledge of these fanciful and imaginary beings, was conveyed to the Western world, and from them transferred to the Greek vases. “A mantle of Shinar,” or as our translators have rendered it, “A Babylonish garment,” was secreted by Achan from the spoils of Jericho; and the delinquent speaks of this as being the most valuable part of his plunder[123]. Next to carpets and shawls, the Babylonian garments called _Sindones_ were held in the highest estimation. The most costly _Sindones_, were so much valued for their fineness of texture and brilliancy of color, as to be compared to those of Media, and set apart for royal use; they were even to be found at the tomb of Cyrus, which was profusely decorated with every species of furniture in use among the Persian monarchs during their lives.

[123] “When I saw among the spoils _a goodly Babylonish garment_, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them, and behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”--Joshua vii. 21.