J - 14 : When Beards went out of Fashion

Hippocrates (Father of modern Medicin), Socrates (Philosopher), Leonidas (Spartan King who fought the Persians with his famous 300 at the Thermophylae) and Pericles (Leader of Athens who defeated the Persian Fleet at Salamis) all had Beards

This summer, on our way from Malta to Pozzuoli, we will visit several ancient Greek and Roman sites. Thanks to EU funding, most of them now have their own on-site museum - though many suffer from the "Oggi Chiuso" syndrome. But occasionally you can get in. An amazing number of busts of once famous people survived. Most of the time, I have to read the tags to know who is who (except for Socrates and Hippocrates). There is a sure way though to find out which bust is Roman and which one is Greek. The Romans are shaved. The Greek wear beards.

400 Years later, at the End of the Roman Republic, none of the Rivals for Emperor (Caesar vs Pompey, Mark Anthony Vs. Augustus) wore a Beard

Made me wonder how the fashion changed. Apparently Alexander the Great was the first military leader who shaved every day. His opponent, King of Kings Darius III, sported a big beard in typical Persian fashion. His facial hair was a symbol for fertility, wisdom and power. We find the same symbols in Indian, Chinese, American and other cultures around the world as well. So what changed?

Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus (333 BC) - he personally leads the Attack against Darius III - clean shaven. Roman Mosaic from 100 AD

I'd say a revolution in military leadership. Alexander was a cavalry man. He lived with his men and their horses. On campaign, he shared their life, was always at the front, fought with them and exposed himself to the same dangers as his fellow soldiers. As I can testify from my own army days, living in the field is much easier with short hair and no beard. Personal hygene takes a few minutes. A pot of water is all you need to shower.

Scipio Africanus (236 - 183 BC) never wore a Beard. He won

the Second Punic War for Rome and defeated Hannibal, his

famous opponent from Carthage.

The leaders of the young Roman Republic were impressed by Alexander's example. Early Rome did not have it easy. Ruled for centuries by Etruscans, then raided by Gauls from the Po Valley and challenged by the powerful Greek city states to the South, Rome was forced to develop a resilient military machine. It had to outlast everybody. Free men from the age of 17 to 45 were drafted for mandatory military service. They had to buy their own kit and commit to several months-long campaigns during their service. Gathered in local maniples, these men trained together, learned to fight as a unit, build camps for the nights, bridges to cross rivers, cooked for their maniples and learned how to take care of their personal health. Short hair and clean shaves were part of the military culture these free Romans became part of. Every Legion had its barbers. Razor blades were as easy to sharpen as a sword. Being shaved also made it easier to distinguish between friend and foe. Beard = Opponent!

Shaved Roman Legionnaires present the bearded Heads of defeated Dacians to Emperor Trajan, the last Emperor not wearing a Beard. From Trajan's Column in Rome

What started as a matter of convenience and hygene became soon society's standard. At the hight of the Punic Wars, Rome fielded a good 100'000 men in various theatres around the Mediterranean. It was a militarised society where evebocdy prepared for military life. Rome was thus able to absorb catastrophic losses like on Lake Trasimeno or in Cannae where entire legions were wiped out with casualties of up to 50'000 soldiers. But Rome rebuilt its legions with discipline as before - the war continued and was eventually won. After the Punic Wars, Carthago was no more and Hannibal, its bearded leader, a fugitive.

Hannibal, Carthago's bearded Military Leader lost the decisive

of Zama in 202 BC. Carthage had to surrender to Rome and

became a Roman Province

When the winners returned home after years of campaigning, they shaped men's fashion for the next three centuries. Everybody around the Mediterranean followed. No serious leader wanted to be seen with a beard. Statues show cleanly shaved men - be it Pompey, Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius or else.

Roman Bronze Shaving Kit with a sharp Steel Blade from around 100 AD

The tradition lasted until Emperor Hadrian in 117 AD sported a beard again. Hadrian ended Rome's territorial expansion and preferred spending time in Greece and on philosophy rather than on campaigns. After Hadrian, all following Roman Emperors wore beards. Hadrian's move was not only a fashion statement - it signalled Rome's turn from a military to a consumer oriented culture. At the peak of its wealth (and tax revenue), Romans believed good times would last forever and that there were better things to do than preparing for war. 300 years later, they payed the price. Having outsourced defence to German mercenaries, these foreign soldiers took over Western Rome in 476 AD.

After three Centuries, Hadrian was the first Roman Leader to

wear a Beard again. He loved to live in Greece and was a major

Donor to many Greek Libraries

It would take Europe to the Italian Renaissance a good 1'000 years later until the fashion of a clean shave returned. But this is a topic for another blog. For this summer we will make an effort to find a Roman Statue with a beard and a Greek one cleanly shaved. Am sure there are exceptions to the fashion standards of the day - there always are.

Emperor Charlemagne with his giant Beard at his Crowning

Ceremony in Rome in 800 AD - by Albrecht Dürer in 1512