Since the inception of human history, hair was a symbol of social status and an ever-changing human fashion. From the caveman to the Roman empire, through the Classic era to the 21st century - hair came in all shapes and forms.

We have an emotional connection to our hair, as is evident from the amount of time we spend taking care of it, stressing about it, worrying about losing it, coloring it, primping it, and fondling it absentmindedly. But the significance of a full head of hair is more than emotional. Men battling hair loss today are following the footsteps of many other men and women in history, and not surprisingly, almost every culture on Earth, past and present, attach at least some social significance to hair. Hair can symbolize strength, virility, affluence, and class. In many cases, a King could lose his kingdom by losing his hair, or even just going gray! The following 10 historical stories and anecdotes show the importance of a full head of hair - or at least make us think that it is necessary!

Samson:

The story of Samson is perhaps the most famous in the bible when it comes to hair and its secret mystical powers. Because of his long hair, he was able to fend the attacks of the Philistines, protect the newly settled area, and be an all around hero to the Hebrews, who were having a hard time dealing with those pesky Philistines that did not take the Hebrew invasion very kindly! Samson, however, had one weakness, namely, the lovely Delilah. One night, after an ardent session of lovemaking, Samson fell into a deep sleep, and the Philistines entered his chamber and cut off his hair, and with it, his strength. Although Samson recovered his powers by intense prayer and piousness, but this story definitely warns us against cutting men's hair, and links superhuman strength to long hair!

The Egyptian Pharaoh:

It is really hot in Egypt, and was very hot 4000 years ago, and even 5000 years ago. Egyptians mostly wore their head shaved, a practical way to deal with the extreme desert heat. The Pharaohs, however, when in ceremonial dress and demonstrating their power and wealth, wore elaborate wigs made of real human hair, dressed with oil, in locks, and braids. The Pharaoh's son traditionally had one lock of hair uncut in the center of his head, which he would wear in a bun. No one else was allowed to wear their hair in this particular way, on pain of death!

Caesar:

Julius Caesar, perhaps the most famous Roman ever, was terrified of his hair loss. It is said that he was so embarrassed by his receding hairline that he introduced the fashion of a laurel crown to hide his high forehead... Caesar used to force his defeated enemies to shave their heads to their scalp. Perhaps he thought that if his enemies had even shorter hair than his, he would appear more powerful, as if conquering half of Europe was not enough!

Married/Unmarried Women in Imperial China:

Unmarried Chinese girls' hair was usually worn long and braided while married women combed the hair back from the face and wound into a knot at the nape. The married or unmarried status of the girl could be signified by her hair, thus avoiding any unwanted advances on married women. Chinese girls' hair heavily influenced their value in the marriage market. A girl without long, luxurious, very black hair was not considered as good marriage material as girls with.

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