Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Comatus

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

COMA'TUS (κομήτης). In a general sense, one who is possessed of a head of long thick hair, which is allowed to luxuriate in its natural growth (Mart. xii. 70. Suet. Cal. 35.); but the word is also specially used to characterize the Germans (Tertull. Virg. Veland. 10.) and the people of Transalpine Gaul, including Belgica, Celtica, and Aquitanica, all of which were comprised under the name of Gallia Comata (Mela, iii. 2. Plin. iv. 31. Lucan. i. 443.), in consequence of the profusion and abundance of their hair, and the manner in which it was arranged, uniformly represented by the Roman artists like the example (Comatus/1.1) here annexed, which is copied from a sarcophagus discovered in the Villa Amendola, near Rome, and covered with bas-reliefs giving the details of a combat between the Romans and Gauls.

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  Comatus/1.1