CULTURE, VIRTUE, HONOUR

CVLTVS is not "cult". It is the Latin cultus, from colere: to till, to tend, to train. It is culture: what you tend every day. VIRTVS, from vir, was courage proven under pressure. HONOR is what that courage earns. Rome raised temples to Honos and Virtus side by side outside the Porta Capena. Culture first, virtue built on it, honour earned through it. The three words ride on your right wrist, where the work is done.

THE EMBROIDERY: CHEST AND CUFF

The gladius. The short sword of the legion, and the mark of Iron Imperium. Look down the blade: a thunderbolt runs through it, the fulmen of Jupiter. Matter and spirit in one weapon. The thunder powers the arm; the sword executes the will. It sits alone at the centre of the chest, stitched in thread.

The cuff. CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS is embroidered on three lines on the right cuff, in the V-for-U capitals of Roman inscriptions. Thread, not print: raised, textured and built to last. White thread on the dark colours, black thread on White.

THE VICTORIES: BACK

Nike to the Greeks, Victoria to Rome: the goddess who crowns the victor. Rome set her in pairs on its triumphal arches, and after Actium Augustus placed her statue in the Senate house. Both figures take the pose of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the marble Nike alighting on a ship's prow that stands headless in the Louvre. Raf The Might gives each one the head of a Roman standard.

The eagle. The aquila, bird of Jupiter. Pliny records that Gaius Marius made the eagle the sole standard of every legion. To lose it in battle was the deepest disgrace a legion could suffer.

The wolf. Sacred to Mars, the she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus in the Lupercal. Before Marius, the wolf marched beside the eagle as one of the legion's five standards. Here they rise again side by side: two standards, two Victories.

What is carried on the garment:

• Gladius and thunderbolt: centre chest, embroidered
• CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS: right cuff, embroidered on three lines
• IRON IMPERIVM: back, vertical down the spine
• Eagle-headed winged Victory: back, the aquila of Jupiter
• Wolf-headed winged Victory: back, the wolf of Mars

Designed by Raf The Might, working out of the heavy metal underground rather than a stock graphics library. The full story of every symbol is on the CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS Tee.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• 100% cotton face
• 65% cotton, 35% polyester
• Fabric weight: 288 g/m² (8.5 oz/yd²)
• Tightly knit 3-end fleece
• Side-seamed construction
• Double-needle stitched rib collar, cuffs and hem
• Self-fabric patch on the back
• Embroidery: gladius on the chest, CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS on the right cuff
• Back print: IRON IMPERIVM vertical down the spine between eagle-headed and wolf-headed winged Victories
• Colours: Black, Vintage Black, Navy, Pompeian Red and Royal Blue with white artwork; White with black artwork
• Sizes: S–3XL
• Artwork by Raf The Might

WORN

The walk to the gym and the walk home, the cold queue outside the venue, the long night at the Fest. No hood, no pocket: a clean crew neck that layers under a jacket or stands on its own.

TACTICAL SIZING NOTE

This sweatshirt runs small. Order one size larger than your usual size for the intended fit, or two sizes up for an oversized drop. Full measurements are in the size guide beside the size selector.

PRODUCT CARE

Machine wash cold, inside out, with similar colours. Do not bleach. Tumble dry low or hang-dry. Do not iron over the embroidery or the print. Do not dry clean.

FAQ

What is on the design?
Front: the Iron Imperium gladius, embroidered at the centre of the chest. Right cuff: CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS, embroidered. Back: IRON IMPERIVM vertically down the spine between two winged Victories, one eagle-headed and one wolf-headed, printed.

What colour is the artwork?
White on Black, Vintage Black, Navy, Pompeian Red and Royal Blue. Black on White.

What does CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS mean?
Culture, honour, virtue. CVLTVS is the Latin cultus, what you tend and train every day; it is the root of "culture", not "cult". VIRTVS is courage, HONOR is what it earns. The V replaces U as on Roman inscriptions.

How should I size it?
It runs small: order one size larger than your usual size, or two sizes up for an oversized fit.

How long until it arrives?
Every piece is made to order. Allow 3–10 business days depending on region.

MADE TO ORDER. NEVER IN BULK.

Your sweatshirt is embroidered, printed and finished the moment you order it. Nothing sits in a warehouse, nothing is overproduced, nothing is destroyed unsold. That is why it takes a little longer to reach you, and why we would rather it did. Thank you for making a thoughtful purchasing decision.

TACTICAL PAIRING

The same Victories with a hood: the CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS Victory Hoodie. Underneath, the CVLTVS HONOR VIRTVS Tee.

READ THE CODE

The three words, one at a time: CVLTVS: Not a Cult, a Culture · VIRTVS: What Roman Virtue Really Meant · HONOR: How Honour Was Earned in Battle