Trousers first enter
recorded history in the 6th century BC, with the appearance of
horse-riding Iranian peoples in
Greek ethnography. At this time, not only the
Persians, but also allied
Eastern and
Central Asian peoples such as the
Bactrians,
Armenians, Tigraxauda
Scythians and Xiongnu
Hunnu, are known to have worn them. Trousers are believed to have been worn by both sexes among these early users.
The
ancient Greeks used the term "ἀναξυρίδες" (
anaxyrides) for the trousers worn by
Eastern nations and "σαράβαρα" (
sarabara) for the loose trousers worn by the Scythians. However, they did not wear trousers since they thought them ridiculous, using the word "θύλακοι" (
thulakoi), pl. of "θύλακος" (
thulakos), "sack", as a slang term for the loose trousers of Persians and other orientals.
Republican
Rome viewed the draped clothing of
Greek and
Minoan (
Cretan) culture as an emblem of civilisation and disdained trousers as the mark of barbarians. As the Empire expanded beyond the
Mediterranean basin, however, the greater warmth provided by trousers led to their adoption. Two types of trousers eventually saw widespread use in Rome: the
Feminalia, which fit snugly and usually fell to knee or mid-calf length, and the
Braccae, a loose-fitting trouser that was closed at the ankles. Both garments were adopted originally from the
Celts of Europe, although later familiarity with the Persian
Near East and the
Teutons increased acceptance. Feminalia and Braccae both began use as military garments, spreading to civilian dress later, and were eventually made in a variety of materials including leather, wool, cotton and silk.
