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Ancient Rome: Boys' Clothing: Footwear


Figure 1.--A HBC reader has sent us this image. We believe it to be actual vintage footwear. This is not the sandalia most associated with Rome. I'm not sure what this would have been called, perhaps "calceus".

We do not have a great deal of information on Roman footwear yet. And it should be noted that Roman history spans a millenium--essentially 1,000 years. Footwear must have changed over that time. This is especially the case as Rome began as a non dedcript village with mud houses and no great wealth. Thed children at that time would have gome barefootb anf probably many adults. This of course would have changed as Rome grew in wealth. We suspect that many children still wnt barefoot unless thaey were from a well to do family. Also children in the countryside would have been more likely to go barefoot. Most of oiur information and actual depictions come from Romanthe later period of Roman history when Rome was the wealthy center of a great empire. Children and adults wore shoes and sandles. Children's outdoor footwear was the 'calceus.' They were made out of soft leather and were in different colors for males. Females wore the same type of outdoor shoe but it was always white in color. The footwear worn indoors by children was the sandalia. This was a made in the home out of soft leather and leather straps. [Macdonald, pp. 8-9.] The children often depicted in Roman art work tend to be barefoot. We suspect that many children went barefoot much of the time. Many modern illustrations of Roman life commonly show the adult and children weaing sandals. Often footwear is depicted as brown and the straps fit over the feet and appear to be fastened around the ankle. Roman soldiers in northern postings, and we suspect Romans in cold weather, would wear their sandals with stockings. Note that the Roman term for sandals has been adopted throughout Eyrope and the Americas. Of course the modern term sandals has the connotation as a casual, play shoe, but this is a meaning which only developed in the early-20th century. Rome became a slave society. No one has real figures, but perhapa a third of Rome was slaves. Slaves were not dressed destinctly, in part because authorities did not want the slaves to know how numerous they were. They would have been more likekly to be barefoot than other Romans. This would have depended on therir lot in life and work assignment. A contrinutor has sent us an image of a barefoot slave boy. It is a mosaic dated 3rd century AD, depicting the month of June. He is working in a kitchen with seasonal products. He writes, "Some authors s think that ancient Romans went barefoot, at least the children. But that was only the case of low condition people and especially of slaves, as in this image."

Chronology

We do not have a great deal of information on Roman footwear yet. And it should be noted that Roman history spans a millenium--essentially 1,000 years. Footwear must have changed over that time. This is especially the case as Rome began as a non dedcript village with mud houses and no great wealth. Thed children at that time would have gome barefootb anf probably many adults. This of course would have changed as Rome grew in wealth. Most of oiur information and actual depictions come from Romanthe later period of Roman history when Rome was the wealthy center of a great empire.

Children

We suspect that many children still went barefoot unless they were from a well to do family. We suspect that children both boys and girls wore the same footwear or wentb barefoot as the case may be.

Demographics

Also children in the countryside would have been more likely to go barefoot.

Types

Children and adults wore shoes and sandles. Children's outdoor footwear was the 'calceus.'

Construction

Roman footwear was made out of soft leather and were in different colours for males. Females wore the same type of outdoor shoe but it was always white in color. The footwear worn indoors by children was the sandalia. This was a made in the home out of soft leather and leather straps. [Macdonald, pp. 8-9.]

Artwork

The children often depicted in Roman art work tend to be barefoot. We suspect that many children went barefoot much of the time. Many modern illustrations of Roman life commonly show the adult and children weaing sandals. Often footwear is depicted as brown and the straps fit over the feet and appear to be fastened around the ankle.

Climate

Roman soldiers in northern postings, and we suspect Romans in cold weather, would wear their sandals with stockings.

Terminology

Note that the Roman term for sandals has been adopted throughout Eyrope and the Americas. Of course the modern term sandals has the connotation as a casual, play shoe, but this is a meaning which only developed in the early-20th century.

Slaves

Rome became a slave society. No one has real figures, but perhapa a third of Rome was slaves. Slaves were not dressed destinctly, in part because authorities did not want the slaves to know how numerous they were. They would have been more likekly to be barefoot than other Romans. This would have depended on therir lot in life and work assignment. A contrinutor has sent us an image of a barefoot slave boy. It is a mosaic dated 3rd century AD, depicting the month of June. He is working in a kitchen with seasonal products. He writes, "Some authors s think that ancient Romans went barefoot, at least the children. But that was only the case of low condition people and especially of slaves, as in this image."

Sources

Macdonald, Fiona. Ancient Rome (Pub Miles Kelly, U.K, 2002).






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Created: 7:48 PM 8/30/2005
Last updated: 5:27 AM 11/25/2020