Laudator Temporis Acti

Agathias, Histories 1.3.4 (tr. Joseph D. Frendo):

For it is the practice of the Frankish kings never to have their hair cut. It is never cut from childhood onwards and each individual lock hangs right down over the shoulders, since the front ones are parted on the forehead and hang down on either side. It is not, however, like that of the Turks and Avars, unkempt, dry and dirty and tied up in an unsightly knot. On the contrary they treat it with all kinds of soap and comb it very carefully. Custom has reserved this practice for royalty as a sort of distinctive badge and prerogative. Subjects have their hair cut all round, and are strictly forbidden to grow it any longer.

θεμιτὸν γὰρ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι τῶν Φράγγων οὐπώποτε κείρεσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἀκειρεκόμαι τέ εἰσιν ἐκ παίδων ἀεὶ, καὶ παρῃώρηνται αὐτοῖς ἅπαντες εὖ μάλα ἐπὶ τῶν ὤνμων οἱ πλόκαμοι· ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ ἐμπρόσθιοι ἐκ τοῦ μετώπου σχιζόμενοι, ἐφ’ ἑκάτερα φέρονται. οὐ μὴν ὥσπερ οἱ τῶν Τούρκων τε καὶ Ἀβαρῶν ἀπέκτητοι καὶ αὐχμηροὶ καὶ ῥυπῶντες, καὶ ἐνέρσει ἀπρεπῶς ἀναπεπλεγμένοι, ἀλλὰ ῥύμματα γὰρ ἐπιβάλλουσιν αὐτοῖς ποικίλα, καὶ ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς διαξαίνουσι. τοῦτο δὲ ὥσοπερ τι γνώρισμα καὶ γέρας ἐξαιρετὸν τῷ βασιλείῳ γένει ἀνεῖσθαι νενόμισται· ἐπεὶ τό γε ὑπήκοον περίτροχα κείρονται, καὶ κομᾷν αὐτοῖς περαιτέρω οὐ μάλα ἐφεῖται.