The Collaborative International Dictionary
Paludamentum \Pa*lu`da*men*tum\, n.; pl. Paladumenta. (Rom. Antiq.) A military cloak worn by a general and his principal officers.
Wiktionary
n. (context historical Ancient Rome English) A military cloak worn by a general and his principal officers.
Wikipedia
In Republican and Imperial Rome, the paludamentum was a cloak or cape fastened at one shoulder, worn by military commanders (e.g. the legionary Legatus) and rather less often by their troops. As supreme commander of the whole Roman army, Roman emperors were often portrayed wearing it in their statues (e.g. the Prima Porta Augustus) and on their coinage. After the reign of Augustus, the paludamentum was restricted to the Emperor. Children would also wear it sometimes, when there was bad weather and they needed protection.
The paludamentum was generally crimson, scarlet, or purple in colour, or sometimes white. It was fastened at the shoulder with a clasp, called a fibula, whose form and size varied through time. Putting on the paludamentum was a ceremonial act on setting out for war.
Usage examples of "paludamentum".
They were unable, however, to hold out against the unanimous determination of the senate, and left the City wearing the paludamentum, having appointed a day for the men whom they had enrolled to assemble at Pisae.
His stay in Rome only lasted three days, and then, in full state with lictors and paludamentum, after offering up prayers in the Capitol, he departed for his province with quite as much precipitancy as before.
On receipt of this intelligence the senate ordered his immediate departure, and he left the City, wearing the paludamentum, on August 5.
Sicinius left the City, wearing the paludamentum, en route for Brundisium.
When a consul or a praetor goes to his province with his lictors, wearing the paludamentum, he recites prayers in the Capitol.
Sulpicius was invested by his lictors with the paludamentum and left the City for Brundisium.