A Study on the History of the Western Military Costume

西洋 軍服의 變遷過程에 관한 硏究

The costume originated from the idea that it could protect human beings from ferocious beasts. The military costume was from protection against an enemy equipped with weapons. Furthermore, the makers of the costume were afraid of supernatural powers and it made them devise an armour and decorate it by the concept of superstition for the purpose of overcoming it. The function of military uniform was important for increasing the protection against any enemies while they join in battle. However in harmonious time, it represented artwork of peace, dignity, and order. Since the uniform was a king of symbol to show their position, and their role. They could feel proud as a member of a military group they belong to and they gain honor, courage, patriotic sentiment through their military costume. The purpose of this study was to investigate the originality the military costume as it changed and developed continuously from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome to modern times. This study was performed to show the comparison and characteristic marks of the past, and the influence of them on the modern military uniform. The method used in this study was using past manuscripts of the early times, information attained from domestic and foreign military documents and previously written reports. As a result, the military costume was one of many means of expression of their natural and social environment. It can be said that the most epoche-marking and powerful changes to the social environment are revolution or war. War absolutely has influenced on the changes of the changes of costume and the military armour according to the type of war and the development of weapons. Especially using the amour, the main purpose that of protecting the body has changed into distinguishing our forces from the enemy and instilling fear into enemy, Furthermore, the class who has the power has used it in order to express their power and dignity. Therefore, armour had required two rules to not only protect the body but also discriminating between classes.