Greek Women Wore Linen Bust-Binders
Underneath the tunic, a Greek woman might have been wearing a bra—made from strips of linen wound tight across the chest.
Unknown — "Bronze grotesque" (2nd century BCE–1st century CE), public domain
Ancient Greeks Had Their Own Bra
Long before elastic and underwire, Greek women wore the apodesmos—a band of linen tied tightly around the chest, just under the tunic. It was support, not just style.
Archaeology and Art Back It Up
Textile remains and terracotta figurines from ancient cemeteries show women with bandaged chests. Writers like Aristophanes and Herodotus mention these breastbands, proving the ancient world understood both comfort and function.
Archaeological finds from places like Kerameikos cemetery in Athens include textile scraps and terracotta figurines showing women with bandaged breasts. Ancient authors mention the apodesmos, a breastband tied under the clothes for support. The modern bra is hardly new—just improved.
