Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Stragulum

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

STRA'GULUM (στρῶμα). A general term for any thing which is spread out or over something else, to make an under coverlet for lying upon; more particularly applied to the articles used for laying over the mattress of a sleeping bed (Cic. Tusc. v. 21. Varro, L. L. v. 167. Senec. Ep. 87.); or a bier upon which the corpse is laid out (Pet. Sat. 42. 6. Id. 78. 1.); in all which passages the term is used to distinguish the under sheet or blanket upon which the body reposes, as contradistinct from the upper one, or coverlet (operimentum, opertorium), thrown over it.

2. (ἐπίβλημα). A caparison for riding horses (Mart. xiv. 86.); placed under the padsaddle (ephippium), or used instead of it, and consisting of the furred skin of some wild beast, such as the lion or tiger (Virg. Aen. viii. 553. Sil. Ital. v. 148.), of sufficient size to cover nearly the whole body of the animal (Virg. l. c.), like the sheep skins of our heavy cavalry, and the example (Stragulum/2.1) above from a Greek coin; or, without the fur, and then made of leather covered over with scale armour (Virg. Aen. xi. 770.), like the present example (Stragulum/2.2) from the Theodosian column, which exactly resembles in its outlines the caparisons now used in our light cavalry regiments.

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  Stragulum/2.1
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  Stragulum/2.2