Shoes in Roman time / Typology

Shoes in the Roman Times – Collective Information – Vers. 0.9 – www.vcrv.ch - Page
Shoes in Roman time / Typology
Calceus/Calcei:
(Calx, The heel; Calamen) The shoe that covered the whole foot, as distinguished from a sandal, or
Soleae. These are generally considered to be the center seamed or laced shoes with the separate
inner and outer soles. Calcei were formal shoes worn with the toga outside the house, while sandals
were worn with the tunic inside the house. Slaves were not allowed to wear calcei. Free men put on a
kind of thick-soled, closed shoe or boot reaching to the calf, with two holes at the side through which
leather thongs were passed and tied round the leg. Open on the inside at the ankle, and fastened
about the ankle and and calves with four wide straps (corrigiae), wound around the ankle two or three
times, to a distance about half-way below the calf, and tied in front with a knot. These straps ran from
the sole and were wrapped around the leg and tied above the instep. A second pair of straps was
attached on each side of the sole, at widest part of the foot, and crossed over the instep, fastened
round ankle on top of the first pair of straps, and tied in a knot in front be the first one. Wearing the
straps (fasces crurales, tibiales; fasces feminales) any higher up the leg, for example to the thigh, is
considered effeminate.
• Calcei senatorii / calceus senatorius
Black with crossed laces / and for Magistrates Curules Red calceii with crossed laces.
Boots for Roman senators, which were distinguished by their red color from the patrician boot. The
calceus senatorius was worn originally by patricians only, but later boots of red leather were the
distinguishing of senators and higher magistrates (curule). A silvered leather or red leather version that
was adorned with a crescent shaped piece of ivory at the top (lunula) signify Important State officials
from a noble family.
• Calicae Mullei / Mulleus
Boots for Roman Magistrates, consules or dictatores in charge of the Legion, which were distinguished
by their lion head decorated boot. The mulleus was worn originally by patricians only, commanders in
chief for a batlle field operation to demonstrate the status of leader.
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Shoes in the Roman Times – Collective Information – Vers. 0.9 – www.vcrv.ch - Page
Calicae equestres
Shoes differentiated
Shoes differentiated in the Edict of Diocletian from the Calcei senatorii.
Calcei patricii
Boots for Roman nobles which had closed uppers and a long tongue (as described in the Edict of
Diocletian). They were hound to the leg with four thongs (corrigiae), two on each side attached
between the sole and the uppers, front and back. The thongs tied around the upper ankle and the
middle of the leg. Patricians wore the sole part in untanned leather and the four straps in black.
Calcei muliebres
Women wore boots like the men's, but made of thinner, softer, leather, in a bright variety of colors,
often in white, and decorated with precious stones and pearls. Sometimes, in place of straps, narrow
bands of coloured silk were used to tie on the boots.
Calceolus / Calceolii
A small shoe, or half boots, usually for women.
Calcei repandi
Pointed-toed shoes, curving upward at the toe, that were worn by Etruscans in the sixth century
B.C. These, in theory, were the model for the later Roman senatorial calcei with lacing and straps.
Cicero says that only statues of Juno Sospita continued to use the pointed-toe calcei repandi, but a
rounded-toe version may have been in use as late as the third century A.D.
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Shoes in the Roman Times – Collective Information – Vers. 0.9 – www.vcrv.ch - Page
Caliga / Caligae (militaris)
A type of Calcei, with a single piece upper and a separate inner and outer sole.
Engineers and laborers wore special, stoutly made half boots called Caligae with heavily nailed soles,
the uppers being made of a separate piece of leather thongs which left the toes free but bound the
ankles and the foot in a web of leather. They sometimes appear to have been worn so that the upper
edge could be turned down.
There seem to have been a variety of nailpatterns
in the soles. Caligae are also referred to
in the Edict of Diocletian as "boots for mule
drivers or farm workers, first quality, without
hobnails." Note that after about 100 CE, these
boots seem to disappear from the archaeological
record as strictly military wear.
e.g. Caligae Typus castleford / replica to buy at
www.armamentaria.com
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Shoes in the Roman Times – Collective Information – Vers. 0.9 – www.vcrv.ch - Page
Calige muliebres
Boots for women, similar to those worn by soldiers, but without hobnails. Caligae muliebres
cost only 60 sesterces in the Edict, but those for soldiers, without nails, cost 100 sesterces.
(no picture)
Campagus/campagi
Soldiers' shoes, also called campagi militares. In the Edict of Diocletian, these cost 75 denarii.
Campagi imperiales
A shoe, similar to that of the soldiers, worn by emperors in the late empire (e.g., Maximinus
and Gallienus) and by Byzantine emperors.
Solea / Soleae
These sandals are merely simple soles, sometimes hobnailed, of leather or matting attached to the
feet by a thong between the toes or with a few thongs of leather tied round the ankle. They were worn
with a tunic when it was not covered by an outer garment; customarily their use was limited to the
house. It was not considered suitable for a man to go out in sandals. Sandals were not worn at meals;
host and guests wore them into the dining room, but as soon as the men took their places on the
couches, slaves removed the sandals and kept them until the meal was over. The phrase soleas
poscere (ask for one's sandals) came to mean "prepare to leave."
* Solo alto:
A phrase describing the high platform shoe of the actor.
* Urina:
An oxhide sandal for women which could be made single- or double-soled, according to the Edict
of Diocletian (9.16).
* Baxa/Baxae:
A sandal made from vegetable fibers, leaves, and so forth.
Sources / where to buy:
http://www.armamentaria.com
calceus (t22)
http://www.battlemerchant.com/product_info.php?info=p2046_Mittelalterliche-Schnuerschuhe--halbhoch--Gr--43.html
info@battlemerchant.com
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/SHOES/ROME/romelist.htm
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