The term “Kit” refers to different types of attire\period clothing\armour that an NRPA member can wear.
What a member can wear is dictated by the event the member is attending along with the their level of membership, type of membership and rank, you can see the different types of kit below a long with description of what members wear what kit.
NRPA strongly recommend that all members and volunteers speak to an officer before purchasing any period clothing to ensure the item is an approved item to be worn, it is often possible that NRPA can point you in the right direction where and how to purchase items and sometimes even save you money, from time to time NRPA may also engage in a bulk purchase which can save you money.
Full Kit
The Full Kit as is required by an Officer and consists of, the Battle Kit shown below, the Domestic Kit shown below and the Toga, also shown below. Any member can own a Ful Kit but it is not a requirement until you reach Officer level, some events restrict what type of Kit a member is permitted to wear, likewise the members rank and membership type will dictate what kit they can wear.
Battle Kit
The Battle Kit is required by ranks Discens and above
Members ranked Discens and above are permitted to wear Battle Kit, if the member is at an event and goes off duty and removes his Armour he can switch to the Domestic Kit, or if the member is an officer he can switch to a Toga.
The Battle Kit is:
Tunic – White (supplied by NRPA)
Focale – White (purchased by members)
Armour – Black Muscle Cuirass (purchased by members)
Cingulum – (purchased by members)
Baldric – (supplied by NRPA)
Pugio – (purchased by members)
Gladius (purchased by members)
Shoes – Calcei (purchased by members)
Pilum – (purchased by members)
Scutum – (purchased by members)
It is highly recommended members speak to an officer before they purchase any items as the NRPA may be able to save you money or at very least point you in the right direction of where and how to purchase items. From time to time the NRPA can organise bulk purchased which may save members money.
Domestic Kit
The Domestic Kit is required by rank Munifex (Miles Gregalis)
The Munifex is the first rank of a Praetorian Guard who has passed probation, the NRPA have assigned the Munifex to Domestic Duties within Rome, as such the Munifex wears what is deemed as the Domestic kit. The Munifex continues to wear the Domestic kit until he is elevated to the rank of Discens.
The Domestic Kit is:
Tunic – Black (supplied by NRPA)
Cingulum – (purchased by members)
Pugio – (purchased by members)
Shoes – Calcei (purchased by members)
It is highly recommended members speak to an officer before they purchase any items as the NRPA may be able to save you money or at very least point you in the right direction of where and how to purchase items. From time to time the NRPA can organise bulk purchased which may save members money.
Toga
The Toga is required by Male Non Combatant members.
Officer Ranks can wear a Toga if they choose, it is not a requirement, officers not in battle kit will likely wear their Domestic Kit, they can however wear a Toga if they wish.
The video below shows how to dress in a Toga as well as the type\look if Toga accepted by NRPA.
Stola
The Stola is worn by female members.
The stola had four major identifying features:
- Worn as an overdress
- Made of lightweight wool
- Constructed as a simple tube, with straps, round pins, or fabric knots at the shoulders, that created a “V neck” with draping.
- Worn double belted, to create an extra folded layer at the hips
The stola was popular for about 400 years (mid-Republic to early Empire), and was integral to the Roman matron’s sense of self. It gave its wearer special social and legal protections.
Roman women loved to dress up, their Stola was a true expression of self and status, here are a couple of videos that give good examples of the Stola, the bottom one even shows how to make your Stola.
