Palla
(
ξυστίς, πέπλος). A Roman mantle worn by women, consisting
of a square piece of cloth, which matrons wore over the
stola, in the
same way as the men wore the toga. They let one third fall down in front over the left
shoulder, but drew the rest away over the back, and then either brought it forward over the
right shoulder, or drew it under the right arm, but in either case threw the end back over the
left arm or shoulder. The palla could also be drawn over the head, just like the toga. Other
women, who were not privileged to wear the stola, wore the palla over the tunic, folded
together about the body, fastened together on the shoulders with buckles, and open on the
right side, or held to
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Livia, wearing the Palla.
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gether in the same way with buckles. It then lay double over the breast and back,
but fell down in one thickness to the feet.