CAU´SIA
CAU´SIA a broad-brimmed felt hat, which was part of
the national costume of the Macedonians
[p. 1.389]and
neighbouring nations (e. g. the Illyrians, Plaut.
Trin. 4.2, 10). The name is obviously derived from its keeping
off the heat of the sun (
καῦσις, καύσων);
but, as the native poet Antipater of Thessalonica tells us, it was a
protection against bad weather generally (
ἐν
νιφετῷ), and also served as a helmet (ap. Brunck,
Anal. 2.111). It was familiar to the Greeks of the Macedonian
period (Menand.
fr. 313, Meineke;
Plb. 4.4,
5); and to the Romans as
early as the time of Plautus (
Mil. Glor. iv. 4, 42, where it
is part of a sailor's dress;
Pers. 2.3, 75; the
mushroom-shaped hat of
Trin. 4.2, 9, must have
been an exaggerated causia). A purple (
ἁλουργὴς) causia was worn regularly by the Macedonian kings as
part of the royal .costume (
V. Max. 5.1.4);
the diadem or white scarf was wrapped round it and the ends
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Hermes wearing the Causia. (From a fictile vase.)
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Royal Causia, with diadem. (From a Macedonian coin.)
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hung down behind. (See the second illustration.) Hence we read of
the
καυσία and
διάδημα as worn together by Alexander the Great (
Arr. Anab. 7.22), and his imitator Caracalla
(Herodian, 4.8.5); and of the
καυσία
διαδηματοφόρος of the last of the Ptolemies (
Plut. Ant. 54). These purple hats, of course
without the diadem, were sometimes distributed as the highest military
decoration (
Plut. Eum. 8
fin.). The illustrations are taken from a
fictile vase, and an early Macedonian coin of Alexander I. (about B.C.
500-460).
[J.Y] [W.W]
