a coarse thick garment worn by the Romans over their gowns like a cloak, to keep off the rain and cold. It was first used in the camp, but afterwards admitted into the city. The emperors wore the lacerna of a purple dye. The lacerna was at first very short, but was lengthened after it became fashionable, which was not till the civil wars and the triumvirate; before this time it was confined to the soldiers. Senators were forbidden wearing it in the city by Valentinian and Theodosius. Martial makes mention of lacernae worth 10,000 sesterces. Some confound this garment with the pellia; but it seems rather to have resembled the chlamys and hirrus.