Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Dalmaticatus

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

DALMATICA'TUS. Wearing the Dalmatic robe, which was a long frock made of white Dalmatian wool. It reached as low as the feet, was decorated with purple stripes down the front, and had a pair of very long and loose sleeves, which covered the whole arm as far as the wrists. It was not worn by the Romans in early times, and never, perhaps, came into general use; but was always regarded as a mark of singularity or luxurious habits, even at a late period of the Empire, until it came to be adopted by the Roman Catholic clergy, under the early popes. (Isidor. Orig. xix. 22. 9. Lamprid. Commod. 8. Id. Heliog. 26. and Alcuinus, De Divinis Officiis.) The illustration (Dalmaticatus/1.1), which corresponds exactly with the above description from Origen, is copied from one of the miniatures in the Vatican Virgil, which are supposed to have been executed during the reign of Septimius Severus.

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  Dalmaticatus/1.1