A himation was a type of clothing, a mantle or wrap worn by ancient Greek men and women from the Archaic period through the Hellenistic period. It was usually worn over a chiton and/or peplos, but was made of heavier drape and played the role of a cloak or shawl. When the himation was used alone, without a chiton, it served both as a chiton and as a cloak. The himation was markedly less voluminous than the Roman toga. Many vase paintings depict women wearing a himation as a veil covering their faces.
Statues at the "House of Cleopatra" in Delos, Greece. Man and woman wearing the himation.
This image is the Bronze Statue of a Roman Aristocratic Boy, wearing himation, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Sitting Achilles wrapped in a himation, from c. 500 BC
The Terracotta Amphora from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing a judge in himation
A chiton is a form of tunic that fastens at the shoulder, worn by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome. There are two forms of chiton: the Doric and the later Ionic. According to Herodotus, popular legend was that Athenian women began to wear the chiton as opposed to the peplos after several women stabbed a messenger to death with the bronze pins characteristic of the peplos.
Charioteer of Delphi in an Ionic chiton
Belting of the charioteer (front view above)
Two women wearing simple chiton poderes, without a belt or apoptygma (overfold). As they are not wearing himations, these are monochitons
