Contemporary readers often overlook the astonishing expense of clothing in the ancient world. This paper will argue that the value of textiles in the Roman Empire far exceeds the real expenditure of clothing in the 21st century and that a greater knowledge of the staggering expense of textiles in the first century provides readers with a better understanding of key biblical passages. For example, Jesus assumed his hearers regularly patched old clothing (Matt. 9:16), rich and poor were distinguished by their clothing (Luke 7:25; Luke 16:19), and gold, silver, and clothing are frequently mentioned in the same context as the most valuable goods of a wealthy household (c.f. Jas. 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:3; Rev. 3:18).
Further, clothing plays a prominent role in many significant passages. Before Peter raised the widow Tabitha from the dead, the mourners showed him the garments that she had made for them (Acts 9:36-42). John the Baptist admonished those with two tunics to share with those who had none (Luke 3:11). The thieves in the parable of the good Samaritan stole the man’s clothing along with his money (Luke 10:30). At the culmination of Jesus’ trial, the High Priest indicated blasphemy by tearing what was likely the most valuable robe in all of Palestine (Matt. 26:65). The soldiers cast lots over the seamless tunic of the crucified Christ (Matt. 27:35). In each case, the high value of the clothing sways the meaning of the passage.
To provide a more quantitative measurement, the research of Botticini and Eckstein suggests that a first century cloak of average quality sold for around 15 denarii.(1) This estimate fits well with Sperber’s estimates of 30 denarii for a good suit and 4 denarii for slave clothing of rough sacking.(2) Drexhage found a range of tunic prices between 8 and 32 denarii in documents from Roman Egypt.(3) Since a denarius represented one day’s wage for the average laborer, a time/wage analysis can be used to compare the relative cost of clothing over time. The contemporary hourly wage of $33.60 for an eight-hour workday over 15 days of work (represented by 15 denarii) yields an equivalent value for an average tunic of more than $4,000 in 2024. Dyed and embroidered clothing could cost ten times more.
This paper will analyze the monetary cost of clothing using first century receipts, divorce decrees, and court records. Then equivalent modern values will be calculated for various articles of clothing. This data will then be utilized to provide insights and a greater exegetical understanding of twelve key New Testament passages.
1. Maristella Botticini and Zvi Eckstein, “From Farmers to Merchants, Conversions and Diaspora: Human Capital and Jewish History,” Journal of the European Economic Association, no. 5 (2007): 885-926.
2. Daniel Sperber, “Costs of Living in Roman Palestine,” in Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient/Journal del’histoire economique et sociale de l’Orient (1965): 248-271.
3. Hans-Joachim Drexhage, Preise, Mieten/Pachten, Kosten und Löhne im römischen Ägypten bis zum Regierungsantritt Diokletians, (St. Katharinen: Scripta Mercaturae, 1991), 368.