Roman Shoes - Sandals and
Boots
There were many different
styles of Roman Shoes which depended on the cost of
manufacture and the status of the Roman who was wearing the
shoes. Only the cheapest
materials were used for slaves and laborers which were made in the plainest
of colors. Roman Sandals were generally the most
worn type of footwear in warm climates such as the countries
surrounding the Mediterranean such as those regions
conquered by the Roman Empire. Sandals consisted of a
stiff sole which was attached to the foot by leather cords,
straps, or braided materials. Roman men only wore sandals
indoors. Different types of boots were the shoes which were
worn outdoors anything less would indicate that the wearer
lived in dire poverty.
Different Types Roman
Shoes
There were many different
styles of Roman shoes which had many different types of
designs and styles. Cheap materials were used for making
shoes for slaves and laborers which were in the plainest
of colors. Most slaves went barefoot. Shoes were only
provided for slaves if they were necessary for the work
expected of the slave. Roman soldiers who
were expected to march for many miles had to have strong
shoes which were called caliga. The sole of the caliga was
thickly studded with hobnails. There were different names
given to specific types of Roman sandals and boots:
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Caliga was the name given
to the shoes, or boots, worn by
Roman soldiers
-
Pero shoes was the name of
the boots worn by agricultural workers. The pero was a soft leather
shoe covering the entire foot and ankle. Originally the word pero
was a generic term for shoe
-
Embades shoes were enclosed boots which had to be
"put on" with a foot stepping into them. A long leather tongue came
down over the top in front of the lacing, and the boots were lined
with felt or fur. The word Lingula was used to describe the tongue
of boots
-
Endromides shoes were high boots generally worn
by equestrians and hunters. These high boots were split vertically
up the inside middle to make them easier to put on
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Baxa or Baxea shoes were light sandals worn by intellectuals and
actors. Made of vegetable leaves or palm leaves, twigs, or fibres.
Cheap and simple to make, worn indoors, possibly by some
slaves - similar in style to a modern 'flip-flop'
-
Socccus were slippers without upper work used for
indoor wear by both sexes
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Solea were slippers with upper workcommonly worn during feasts or banquets
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Actors shoes - Comedians wore the socci or
slippers and tragedians the cothurni
Roman Shoes for Women
Shoes called Sandalium (Sandalia) were a type of sandals
worn by women. Sandals worn by
women were made of softer, finer leather. Winter shoes were
often made with cork soles (Roman women did not go out very
much, the cork was used to provide warmth). Sometimes the
soles of Roman women's shoes were made thicker to provide
the illusion of height.
The shoes, especially the sandals, worn by wealthy or
Patrician women
were adorned with costly embroidery and gold. These
shoes started as modern 'flip-flop' style sandals and later
had toe coverings added. The
small cover of the toes of these shoes was not sufficient to
fasten the sandalium to the foot so beautifully adorned and
elaborate thongs were attached to it. Women also wore types
of shoes called Sikyonia embas (from the island Sikyon),
which were fancy shoes made of white felt. A Taurina was an
ox hide sandal for women which could be made either single
or double-soled shoes.
Materials used to make
Roman Shoes
- Leather
The materials used to make
Roman shoes was predominantly leather, although wood was
sometimes used to make clogs and fibres to make sandals. The Ancient
Romans were expert in the process of tanning and produced
a supple leather which was ideal for making Roman
shoes. The Romans predominantly used the hide of animals such as a
deer, ox or cattle to manufacture shoes. The thickest and most durable types of
leather were used for making the soles of shoes and remaining weaker leather was used for making
sandals and the
straps of shoes. Sheepskin and pigskin were used for the
more expensive shoes and worn by wealthy Romans who were
looking for style and elegance rather than durability. A
copper-vitriol solution containing iron called
Melanteria was used to blacken leather shoes, such as those
worn in the
Roman
Army. Leather boots were made waterproof by an
application of grease.
Roman Shoes - Caliga,
the Roman Hobnail Boots
Roman Boots were the names
of the shoes used by the Roman army and were called caliga.
These shoes, or boots, were highly practical and durable to
ensure they were suitable for the long marches required of
Roman Soldiers. The secret of the success of these shoes was
by adding hobnails to the design. Hobnails were iron nails
which were nailed through the soles of shoes to keep the
footwear together and to prevent the soles of the boots from
wearing out. The hobnails were placed all around the edge of
the sole and in some shoe designs on the surface of the
sole.
Red Roman Shoes
The Romans were able to use
dye on their shoes but this process took longer and cost
more money. Only wealthy Romans of a high status such as the
Patricians would wear red dyed sandals and boots. The word
Mulleus was used to describe shoes which were dyed red.
The word Mulleus derives from the mullet fish (mullus),
which is red in color. The different types of Roman outdoor
shoes or boots made of leather dyed red were named after the
status of the wearers such as calceus patricius, calceus
senatorius or calceus equestris. The shoes of the senators
came up to the middle of their legs, and had a golden or
silver crescent on the top of the foot.
Making Roman Shoes
Making Roman Shoes required different sections or layers. The bottom,
outside, layer or sole of the shoes, the inner sole, the
foot covering and leg straps of the shoes.
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The bottom, outside, layer or
sole of the boots had to be sturdy received the most wear
-
The inner sole of the shoes
had to be softer as it came into contact with the foot. Less wealthy Romans did not
wear socks but strips of foot wrappings might be used to prevent
chafing. The Romans also used Impilia which were liners made of of
wool or felt for shoes
-
Piloi were felt socks used with leather sandals
and boots to protect the flesh of the foot from chafing and to keep
the foot warm. The piloi were commonly worn with the embas or
endromis shoes
-
The foot coverings of shoes were cut encompass the shape of the foot
-
A strip of leather
was placed between the outsole of a shoe and the edges of the insole
and the upper soles of shoes
-
The straps were used
to tie shoes to the foot and could extend past the ankle and calf up to
the knee
-
The straps were made
of thin lengths of leather or fabric inserted through loops or
eyelets to fasten sandals and boots to the foot
-
The thongs or straps
for tying shoes were called Loramentum
A wooden block,
called a forma, was shaped like a foot on which shoes,
especially boots were made. The Romans also used an iron
block on which to hammer the hobnails in boots as the nails
had to be turned or flattened.
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