Facial Hair

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Now, this is a little observation I've made and more like a question than a statement of anything. I'm not big on historical beard-keeping, but I have this weird feeling that for the majority of men during the Roman ages shaving of the face was either not possible or not very "close". I'm willing to bet more advanced civilizations such as Rome or Greece were more apt to shave and have the capabilities to shave, but not so much for the Celts or such.

So then it's weird when I see pics of units in the game both Roman and not Roman where the majority of men are military standard clean-shaven. Now how realistic is this exactly? At least with the Celts (where I do see some interesting mustaches) I'd expect to see mangly man-beards.

So please, educate me on the finer points of ancient facial hair. Is it actually not that far from the truth when I see most soldiers going without facial hair?

[Jokern]

I know that Alexander ordered his men to shave to differentiate them from the "barbarian" Persians, and I think that the trend spread in the civilized world.

The barbarian factions, especially the Germanians, would have it. Although a couple of hundred years later, the vikings of Scandinavia had a lot of beards.

[KLAssurbanipal]

It isn't true that all the Romans shaved clean. Although most of the Romans in the time of the republic didn't have facial hair, but sometimes it happens the Romans with facial hair.


1. REPUBLICAN ROMANS

An example is Titus Quinctius Flamininus. He had a beard and mustache. Titus Quinctius Flamininus (c. 229 BC - c 174 BC) was a Roman politician and general instrumental in the Roman conquest of Greece. In 197 BC he defeated Philip at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in Thessaly, the Roman Legions making the Macedonian phalanx obsolete in the process. Coin with him:







2. HELLENISTICS


Among the nation Hellenistic facial hair was more common than the Romans. Alexander Warriors were clean shaved, but after Alexander in Hellenistic states many warriors wore beards and mustache. Hellenistic kings often clean shaved, but not all. The following examples.


Philip V (238-179 BC) was King of Macedon from 221 to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of Rome. Titus Quinctius Flamininus defeated Philip at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in Thessaly. Philip was attractive and charismatic as a young man. He had a beard and mustache:






Perseus (c. 212 – 166 BC) was the last king (Basileus) of the Antigonid dynasty, who ruled the successor state in Macedon created upon the death of Alexander the Great. He also has the distinction of being the last of the line, after losing the Battle of Pydna on 22 June 168 BC; subsequently Macedon came under Roman rule. He had a beard and mustache:







Other style of facial hair.
Ptolemy IX Soter II was king of Egypt three times, from 116 BC to 110 BC, 109 BC to 107 BC and 88 BC to 81 BC, with intervening periods ruled by his brother, Ptolemy X Alexander. He had a beard without mustache:






Hellenistic men often have curly hair. Note that for each coin or a fresco from the Hellenistic period men have curly hair:



Here is a reconstruction of the face of Philip II Macedonian:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

3. ROMAN EMPIRE




Roman legionaries from the end of the 1st century AD very often have beards and mustaches:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Dan113112]

The reason that many Roman soldiers had beards at the end of the 1st century AD/in the 2nd century AD might be because of an influx of German warriors into the army. That may have happened in the 3rd century AD. I'm not sure.

[KLAssurbanipal]

A reason was a fashion. The emperors weren't barbarians. They had beards and mustache of as fashion:


Marcus Aurelius (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus; April 26, 121 AD – March 17, 180 AD), was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180.






Commodus (Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, 31 August, 161 AD – 31 December, 192 AD), was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192.

[Dan113112]

A reason was a fashion. The emperors weren't barbarians. They had beards and mustache of as fashion:


Marcus Aurelius (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus; April 26, 121 AD – March 17, 180 AD), was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180.






Commodus (Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, 31 August, 161 AD – 31 December, 192 AD), was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192.

I know it was a fashion. But for soldiers it just seems practical to have either a very short beard or none at all. Same with head hair. You can be pulled down by your beard/head hair. Same reason why it isn't very practical to wear capes in combat.

[LemonySniffit]

I know it was a fashion. But for soldiers it just seems practical to have either a very short beard or none at all. Same with head hair. You can be pulled down by your beard/head hair. Same reason why it isn't very practical to wear capes in combat.

The 'barbarians' had an answer to that though, some Celts were known to put lemon juice in their hair to make it harder to grab (as well as to make it spiky and give it a light tint/dye). Same goes for the Germanic tribes, they were known to put butter in their hair to make it impossible to grab.

[Hresvelgr]

It was a popular Celtic fashion to shave the beard and grow an impressive mustache. The trend lasted from ancient days well into medieval history. It was the Germans who were more noted for large beards, but even then the idea that they'd be all messy and tangled is just a stupid notion based off the idea that anyone termed a barbarian must be dirty and stuff. Barbarian is just an offensive slur used to describe anyone the Romans didn't like, it's not an accurate description of what people are or were actually like.

[Ichon]

The 'barbarians' had an answer to that though, some Celts were known to put lemon juice in their hair to make it harder to grab (as well as to make it spiky and give it a light tint/dye).

[♠ Thomas Cochrane ♠]

A reason was a fashion. The emperors weren't barbarians. They had beards and mustache of as fashion:


Marcus Aurelius (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus; April 26, 121 AD – March 17, 180 AD), was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180.






Commodus (Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, 31 August, 161 AD – 31 December, 192 AD), was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192.

You are aware I hope that it was Emperor Hadrian who was the first emperor to sport a constant beard, (not counting Nero's neck abomination) and almost every emperor afterwards is depicted with a beard. It is general knowledge that Hadrian started the imperial trend of beard wearing.

Cochrane

[KLAssurbanipal]

Today cares about is that the soldiers did not wear long beards. Long ago, this depends on the style. Look at the pictures of coins from the Hellenistic and Roman legionnaires sculptures. Beards are shorts. Don't interfere with the fight. During the campaign, the soldiers often didn't shaved because there was no time.

[Father Jack]

Ptolemy IX Soter II, supporting the neck beard since 116 BC.

[KLAssurbanipal]

Hannibal Barkas:

[KLAssurbanipal]

Yes, of course I forgot to paste his pic.

Hadrian:

[Dan113112]

I wonder if the beard trend wasn't part of some Hellenic/Greek culture/style revival.

[Pinarius]

For people like Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius it was of course a reference to the many bearded philosophers of Greece.

[Jokern]

It's official, the Gallic units will have beards, Averni!

[LemonySniffit]

That is a very common misconception you have about barbarians... for example, the most common object found at viking burial sites were combs.

Not exactly the same period, but it's just pointing out that the stereotype isn't true, hell, soap was invented by Gauls.

[Ballacraine]

That is a very common misconception you have about barbarians... for example, the most common object found at viking burial sites were combs.

Not exactly the same period, but it's just pointing out that the stereotype isn't true, hell, soap was invented by Gauls.

Why should wearing a beard infer lack of cleanliness & hygeine?

I have worn a full beard since 1980.

Balla.

[Hresvelgr]

Why should wearing a beard infer lack of cleanliness & hygeine?

I have worn a full beard since 1980.

Balla.

I'm pretty sure it was a response to the OP's idea that the "barbarians" should have messy, wild beards because they are uncivilized and all that jargon.