Man wearing Petasos Coinage of Kapsa Macedon circa 400 BCE

A ''petasos'' or petasus ( el, πέτασος) is a broad brimmed hat of Thessalian origin worn by

ancient Greeks Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

Thracians The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

and

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, roug ...

, often in combination with the

chlamys The chlamys ( Ancient Greek: χλαμύς : chlamýs, genitive: χλαμύδος : chlamydos) was a type of an ancient Greek cloak.felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

straw Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...

or animal skin. Women's versions had a high crown while those for men featured a lower crown. It was worn primarily by farmers, travellers and hunters, and was considered characteristic of rural people. Elite Greek men generally chose not to wear hats. As a winged hat, it became the symbol of

Hermes Hermes (; grc-gre, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orat ...

, the Greek mythological messenger god. Along with the pileus, the petasos was the most common hat worn in Greece between 1200 and 146 B.C.E. Its wide brim protected the wearer from the sun and rain while a lengthy strap allowed wearers to secure it under the chin. When not needed, the hat was often worn hanging behind the head. Its popularity later extended to the Etruscans, the Byzantine Empire and the Roman Empire, in slightly modified forms. A type of metal helmet worn by Athenian cavalry was made in the shape of a ''petasos''. Some examples have holes around the outer edge of the brim, presumably so a fabric cover could be attached. These are known from

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...

s and vase paintings, with at least one archaeological example found in an Athenian tomb.Nicholas Sekunda, ''The Ancient Greeks'' (Osprey Publishing, 1986, 2005), p. 19.

Gallery

File:Achilles embassy Louvre G264 n3.jpg, Hermes wearing ''petasos'' with

caduceus The caduceus (☤; ; la, cādūceus, from grc-gre, κηρύκειον "herald's wand, or staff") is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was also ...

Image:Petasos.jpg, Views of a ''petasos'' File:Youth leopard skin Staatliche Antikensammlungen 2639.jpg, ''Petasos''-wearing youth with spear and leopardskin File:Tomb scene Petit Palais ADUT00355 n2.jpg, Young warrior with cloak and ''petasos'' dangling over the back File:KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander I. 498-454 BC. AR Obol (8mm, 0.46 g). Struck circa 460-450 BC. Young male head right, wearing petasos.jpg, Coin of

Alexander I Alexander I may refer to: * Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC * Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus * Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome * Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of A ...

, struck circa 460-450 BC. Young male head right, wearing petasos. File:MACEDON, Kapsa. Late 5th-4th centuries BC. AR Diobol (10mm, 1.20 g, 5h). Head of Hermes right, wearing winged petasos One-handled lekythos.jpg, Coinage of Kapsa,

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled ...

, circa 400 BC.

References

{{Historical clothing Hats Hermes Greek clothing Culture of ancient Thessaly Mythological clothing

Gallery

See also

References