Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. VII, 1951 Christian archaeology Various topics

Lacerna

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LACERNA. - A short cloak, originally of coarse wool, used in Asia, introduced to Rome by Lucullus; disdained by Augustus (Suetonius, Aug., 40), used first by officers, then by Roman soldiers, and later by civilians.

It was thrown over the shoulders, reached down to just above the knee, and was fastened at the chest by means of a small strip of cloth or leather or with a buckle or brooch; it ended in fringes. It served to protect against rain and dust; in the time of St. Augustine it was used as a light summer cloak (sermon 161, 10: PL 38, 883).

In ancient Christian art the l. is worn over the tunic by the Persian martyrs Abdon and Sennen in the 6th-century fresco in the cemetery of Ponziano on the Via Portuense. It is also worn by Daniel in two sarcophagi of Ravenna and in a miniature of Cosmas Indicopleustes (R. Garrucci, Storia dell'arte cristiana, III, Prato 1881, pl. 150, 1; V, pl. 311, 4; 332, 3).

Bibliography

BIBL.: Wilpert, Pitture, pp. 78-79.

Enrico Josi

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By Enrico Josi

How we know signed in print

Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII (1951), col. 785.

More by Enrico Josi: La Chaise-Dieu (Casa Dei) · Labrea · Lacunaria (Laquearia) · Labaro · Lafayette, Diocese of

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Chicago

Josi, Enrico. “Lacerna.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII, col. 785. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951. https://azioneromana.com/article/lacerna.

MLA

Josi, Enrico. “Lacerna.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951, col. 785. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/lacerna.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec7_lacerna,
  author    = {Josi, Enrico},
  title     = {Lacerna},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {VII},
  pages     = {785},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1951},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/lacerna}
}

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