Salvete Omnes!
I am confused over the proper placement of the stripe (or stripes) on the tunica laticlavia. For those unfamiliar, the tunica laticlavia was the tunic worn by the Senatorial class. It is distinguished from the tunic of the equestrian class (tunica angusticlavia) by the size and possibly the placement of the stripes.
My confusion is this: In William Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities when discussing the two types of stripes states:
"The meaning of these words has given rise to much dispute; but it is now established beyond doubt that the clavus latus was a broad purple band, extending perpendicularly from the neck down the centre of the tunica, and that the clavus angustus consisted of two narrow purple slips, running parallel to each other from the top to the bottom of the tunic, one from each shoulder..."
So, according to Smith. Laticlavia = One big stripe down the middle. Angusticlavia = Two thinner stripes from each shoulder down. However, I see a lot of more contemporary sources depicting the tunica laticlavia as also having two striped from the shoulders down but indeed wider than the angusticlavia.
So, does anyone have any insight in which is correct?