Roman Shoes

• The Romans wore sandals and boots made of leather.
• As today, the shoes reflected the prestige and status of the wearer.

Types of Sandal

• Carbatina:
  • lace up sandal, with sole and upper made from one piece of leather. The upper was worked into a semi open herring bone design.
• Soccus:
  • loose fitting slipper. Leather sole without hobnails, having a separate leather upper.
• Calceus:
  • Formal shoe worn with the Roman Toga. It was a lace up sandal with hobnails in the sole.
  • To add prestige, Senators wore them secured with black thongs and Emperors used red thongs.
• Crepida:
  • A lighter version of the Calceus.
• Solea:
  • Flat sandal with hobnails in the sole and held on by a strap between the toes (like flip flops today). The most commonly worn type of sandal.
• Cothurnus:
  • A decorated boot worn for status.
• Galicae:
  • A more rugged workboot.
• Winter shoes:
  • Sandals which would have soles made from cork.

Women’s Shoes

• Sandalium:
  • A sandal with a wooden sole worn mostly by women.
• Women wore the same leather shoes and sandals as men, but made of finer leather.
• They were often dyed white or with a colour and sometimes had jewels sewed on. To increase the height, several layers of cork might be used.

Military Boots

• The Caligae were lace up military sandals reinforced by iron hobnails in the sole.
• They were an open sandal to prevent foot disease on long marches.