23/09/2025
Ancient Roman footwear displayed at Vindolanda Fort, Northumberland, England.
These 1,800-year-old caligae—sturdy openwork boots with hobnailed soles—were the standard issue for legionaries and cavalrymen. Made from a single piece of cowhide, reinforced with iron (sometimes bronze) nails, and laced up to the ankle, they were practical and durable. Soldiers wearing them were called caligati—“the booted ones.”
By the end of the 1st century, however, the army shifted to calcei, enclosed boots offering greater warmth and protection, which later spread into civilian fashion.
Vindolanda itself, a Roman auxiliary fort predating Hadrian’s Wall, was occupied from about 85–370 AD. Excavations there have revealed a wealth of artifacts, providing insight into Roman frontier life.
