Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Barbatus

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

BARBA'TUS (πωγωνίας). Wearing the beard of its natural length, as was frequently practised by the Greeks, until the age of Alexander, and universally by the Romans, until the year B.C. 300 (Plin. H. N. vii. 59. Compare Liv. v. 41. and Cic. Cael. 14.), whence the Latin writers commonly use the word to describe the rude and unpolished manners of the early ages (Cic. Mur. 12. Id. Sext. 8.), when beards were worn like that in the example (Barbatus/1.1) from an engraved gem, supposed to represent Numa Pompilius, from the resemblance it bears to the profile upon some coins which have the name of Numa inscribed upon them.

2. Barbatus bene. Having the beard neatly clipped and trimmed, so as to give it an artificial kind of beauty; a practice which came into fashion amongst the young exquisites towards the latter days of the republic (Cic. Cat. ii. 10.), and was generally adopted by the emperors from the time of Hadrian, as in the annexed bust (Barbatus/2.1) of Antoninus Pius, from an engraved gem.

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  Barbatus/1.1
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  Barbatus/2.1