Chapter Abiti e ornamenti come segni di distinzione/diseguaglianza sociale nella legislazione suntuaria cittadina del Medioevo

Abstract

The essay aims to analyse the sumptuary legislation which was the result of the legislative activity in the cities of Central-Northern Italy: it began at the end of the thirteenth century with a significant increase in later centuries. Initially, it was a disciplining of expenses mostly related to women’s clothing and accessories, aimed to all social classes. Later, the city governments introduced distinctions based on the socio-economic status of the citizens, creating a hierarchy that was functional for an effective municipal administration entrusted to lawyers, preachers and eminent citizens. Through a comprehensive historical and legal review, the text traces the evolution of regulations that, by imposing restrictions on clothing, ornaments, and expenditures, aimed to control ‘appearances’, to differentiate social strata, creating inevitable inequalities in urban contexts.