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Hellenistic soldiers in tunic, 100 BCE, detail of the Nile mosaic of Palestrina.

The tunic (Latin tunica) was the common masculine garment of Greco-Roman civilization. It was worn by citizens and non-citizens alike; citizens, though, would wear it under the toga, especially at formal occasions. The length of the garment, the presence or lack of stripes, as well as their width and ornamentation, would indicate the wearer's status in Roman society. Soldiers, slaves and manual workers generally had tunics to a little above the knee; those in more sedentary occupations to about the ankle (unless they were expecting to ride a horse, when a shorter one would be worn).

The tunic was also worn by the ancient and Byzantine Greeks and is very similar to the chiton, which looked like a jacket. In Ancient Greece, a person's tunic was decorated at the hem-line to represent the city-state in which he lived. The tunics were either dyed with bright colors or bleached white.

Roman worker dressed in a tunic

Underneath his armor, the Roman legionary wore a (usually woolen) tunic. There is considerable debate today as to whether the typical Roman legionary's tunic was undyed or dyed red using madder dye; a number of works of art and written descriptions contemporary to the Roman Empire contradict each other on this point. Alternately, it is possible that Roman legionary officers wore red tunics, while rank-and-file soldiers wore undyed tunics.

The tunic originally worn by the Roman legionary consisted simply of a long piece of rectangular cloth sewed to an identical piece, with holes for the arms and head simply left unsewn. Later, it became fashionable for tunics to be produced with sleeves, and worn with braccae.

Germanic tunic of the 4th century found at the Thorsberg moor

In Western culture, its use continues primarily in a religious and uniform context. It is the primary garment worn by the clergy, and members of religious orders. It is also the name often given to the coat worn by military and police personnel, usually close-fitting, buttoned up the front, either high-collared or open-necked, and of a variety of lengths (although most commonly with short skirts).