Caligae
Caligae (singular caliga) were open leather footwear with sturdy soles, usually fitted with hobnails. They are especially associated with the army of the Late Republic and Early Empire, including legionaries and auxiliary soldiers.
Finds from Britain and other northern regions show that caligae were not limited to hot provinces. The open design could be worn with socks. Distinguish them from light sandals and closed calcei without turning the names into an unchanging climatic or social classification.
Caligae on the tombstone of an aquilifer of Legio XI Claudia Pia Fidelis, first century CE.
Caligae on the tombstone of a centurion of Legio XX Valeria Victrix. Colchester; first century CE.
Roman soldiers wearing caligae. Detail of Trajan’s Column, Rome; early second century CE.A caliga's upper was cut with openings that formed straps around the foot and ankle. The straps were laced together; construction was not simply an arbitrary weave of separate leather strips. Layers formed the sole, which was fitted with iron hobnails.
Hobnails reduced wear and provided grip, but also occur on other Roman footwear. Their presence alone does not identify a soldier as the wearer. Leather thickness, pattern, stitching and nail arrangement should be considered together.
Detail of caligae on a cast of Trajan’s Column. Museum of Roman Civilisation, Rome; the original relief dates to the early second century CE.
Modern diagram comparing hobnail arrangements on footwear soles.
Modern diagram comparing hobnail arrangements on footwear soles.Caligae are well represented in first-century CE finds and military imagery. Footwear forms and manufacturing practices subsequently changed. These changes cannot all be explained by cooling climate, nor assigned one date when calcei replaced caligae throughout the Empire.
According to Suetonius (Caligula 9), the future emperor received the nickname Caligula, “little caliga”, through his miniature military outfit among the soldiers. This attests the footwear's association with a military image, not the shoes worn by every Roman child.
Reconstruction
Caligae suit many Early Imperial military portrayals when matched to the chosen period and prototype. Fit a replica to the foot, considering length, width, strap placement, edge finishing and reliable seams.
Hobnailed soles may slip on some smooth surfaces and damage them. For indoor performances, use safe footwear under the venue's rules; an unhobbled version should be identified as a modern adaptation rather than an exact replica of an ancient nailed sole.
Modern reconstruction of caligae.
Modern reconstruction of caligae.The diagrams below help explain a modern replica's construction, but do not replace examination of an original. Scale strap and opening positions as well as overall length. After assembly, check fit and ensure that no sharp nail points project into the shoe.
A beginner should record the prototype find, materials, dimensions and alterations. This distinguishes historical construction from choices made for a modern wearer's comfort.
Modern reconstruction pattern for caligae.
Modern reconstruction pattern for caligae.
Modern reconstruction pattern for caligae.Related topics
Literature and sources
- Norma Goldman. Roman Footwear. In: J. L. Sebesta and L. Bonfante, eds. The World of Roman Costume. University of Wisconsin Press, 1994.
- Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars: Caligula, 9.
- First-century CE caliga: London Museum.
Rear view of a Roman caliga. British Museum; first century BCE–first century CE.
Roman caliga, first century CE. Mainz State Museum, Germany.
Cast of a detail from Trajan’s Column. Museum of Roman Civilisation, Rome; original relief, early second century CE.
Caliga from the Roman fort at Trimontium, Newstead, Scotland; around 80–100 CE.
Footwear hobnails from Gradišče near Cerkno, Slovenia; attributed to around 35 BCE.
Footwear hobnails from Kalkriese. Their distribution helps trace movement across the battlefield.
Another group of footwear hobnails from Kalkriese. Such finds are interpreted through their archaeological context and distribution.
Bronze caliga from a fragmentary Roman equestrian statue. Kalkriese Museum, Germany; first–second century CE.
Comparative illustration from M. C. Bishop and J. C. N. Coulston, Roman Military Equipment, second edition, Oxbow Books, 2006.
Detail of the terracotta pediment from Talamone, near Orbetello, Italy; around 150 BCE. Vatican Museums.
Leather sandals from Masada, first century CE. Comparative footwear, not caligae.
Leather sandals from Masada, first century CE; another view. Comparative footwear, not caligae.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
