What shoes were in fashion during the Roman Empire: Italian collection spring-summer 100 AD

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Italian footwear is famous all over the world. Recent archaeological finds have shown that this is no coincidence. It turned out that the shoe traditions of Mediterranean craftsmen go back to the days of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman shoes found in Germany are not only perfectly preserved, having lain underground for two thousand years, but are also distinguished by their elegant design and functionality.

The small German town of Bad Homburg has a unique attraction - the ancient fortress of Saalburg has been reconstructed here. Already in 90 AD, a Roman outpost was organized here. For those times, these places were a real wilderness. It was here that the border of the great empire passed, further there were the lands of the Germanic tribes. Nevertheless, in this fortress, far from Rome, there were people who followed fashion and preferred beautiful shoes. At the bottom of an old well, archaeologists discovered a perfectly preserved shoe that had lain there for about two thousand years, and now has proudly taken a place in the local museum.

In fact, the found item belongs to one of the most common types of ancient Roman shoes. This is a type of thick-soled sandal. Unlike household products, they were made of very durable leather, and spikes could be driven into the sole. These shoes were worn by both soldiers and townspeople. The fact that the sample has survived to this day in good condition indicates the excellent quality of the leather. Besides, the shoes are pretty pretty. It can be seen that the ancient master carefully thought over the design. Shaped cuttings in the form of circles and rhombuses were often used in those days, and even now they are still a relevant option for decorating leather goods. Undoubtedly, this is not an item of clothing of a commoner, but of a noble person. Regarding ordinary shoes, such in those days should have cost no less than modern designer brands.

Soldier's shoes of Ancient Rome were distinguished by excellent durability and convenience. Depending on the weather requirements, a lot of cuttings were either made on the kaligas, or they were solid, with holes only for strings. Their height could reach the middle of the lower leg, and thus they are the prototype of boots. Such shoes were put on in 3-4 minutes and could withstand many kilometers of marches.

By the way, the name "Kaliga" after many centuries was assigned to special tied sandals, in which pilgrims put their shoes on for the walk to Jerusalem. In this last sense, the word became known in Ancient Russia, and from it the phrase "kaliki perekhodimi" came from.

Women's shoes in antiquity, of course, were thinner and more graceful, they were often covered with embroidery, decorated with pearls and precious stones. However, not only women, but also noble men allowed themselves the same.

The ancient Roman masters, undoubtedly, in those days were not only trendsetters, but also teachers for many nations. It was from the empire that the basic principles of shoemaking and the style of footwear spread throughout Europe, as can be seen in the example of the find in Saalburg. Fashionable shoes, having lain at the bottom of the well for a couple of millennia, still look elegant and comfortable, so the skill of ancient artisans is worthy of great respect.

As for the fortress itself on the border of the empire, it eventually became a fairly large settlement. Scientists believe that at the time of its heyday several thousand people lived here. For those times, these are considerable numbers. As always happens, peasants began to settle near the protected walls. True, the town existed for only a few centuries. Then it was abandoned and re-found by researchers only in the middle of the 19th century. Excavations initiated by Kaiser Wilhelm II revealed a perfectly preserved Roman camp with defenses and outbuildings. An open-air museum and research institute was established here.

In 2005 Saalburg was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An archaeological park and a very impressive museum have been created here, which contains all the historical artifacts found and many reconstructions have been made. However, as can be seen from the latest finds, not all of Saalburg's secrets have been found and placed behind the windows of the exhibition halls.

The ancient Romans were not only big mods, but also created legislation, the basics of which are still studied by law students. Truth, some of the laws of ancient Rome today look ridiculous and shocking.