Mary G. HoustonAncient Greek, Roman & Byzantine Costume (Dover Fashion and Costumes)

I really enjoyed this book. It was published in 1947 and is a great introductory survey of Greek, Roman and Byzantine costume. Miss Houston writes beautifully, and their are gorgeous illustrations.

I wanted to give this five stars, the text covers a broad range of fashion both temporally and geographically in depth on a level that makes the garments and their construction understandable.My only complaint is the formatting of the book. The pictures are numbered and arranged through the book in a way that follows no logic whatsoever. Most pages feature text describing images several pages away, and the numbering system for the pictures is so erratic that it gives no context at all. Most of the book I have had to flip around trying to just find the garment or motif being discussed.Ms. Houston's material is well researched and more than worth the cost for the reenactor and reconstructionist alike. I simply hope it ends up in the hands of a better editor for any future printings

This is a fine book on Greco-Roman costume. The author is particularly good on Roman, Late Roman, and Byzantine cloths. Of greatest interest is the discussion of Eastern Orthodox vestments and their relation to Byzantine court costumes.

Another great Dover book.

For a long time this was considered THE reference for early period costume in the SCA. When I started in the early 90’s this was the book used. Since then, a lot has been discredited and/or revised based on more up to date scholarship. It’s a starting point for research but should not be the cornerstone of documentation

The book is very nice. It is a scholarly source to be taken seriously, and at the same time its language and format are comprehensible for an average reader who is not very familiar with the subject.

Being a re-enact or this book gave me ideas for period clothing I can make.

Ideas on Byzantine clothing have altered dramatically since this text was written. If you are looking to create an authentic type of garment for yourself, stay away from this book.

If you need a quick overview of what was worn and when, this is a good source. The descriptions and diarams ere helpful. The book is well out of date- not a terrible thing. It was one of many sources I used.

Being my first book on the topic, probably I'm not really qualified in reviewing it but I have to say that I read the volume very easily, always being interested in what the author was saying. I liked the pictures even though this is simply a reprint of the final edition published more than 60 years ago, so it's a little bit outdated, for certain points. However, I greatly enjoyed it in its simplicity of language and clearness of exposition and details.