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Many Italian children went barefoot in the 19th and early-20th century. There are fewer photographs for the 19th century, but large numbers of children went barefoot then which was common since ancient times. This was largely an economic issue. Footwear, especially leather footwear can be expensive. This is why children going barefoot was so pronounced in southern Italy. Of course climate was a factor. The warm weather made it possible for children to go barefoot year round. The industrial revolution began to have an impact on Italy (mid-19th century). This primarily affected northern Italy. With rising income levels in the north, more children were wearing shoes, although going barefoot was still common, especially in rural areas. The North continued to prosper in the early 20th century which meant that more chidren were wrearing shoes, but poor children continued to go barefoot. We note some image of well tgon do children going barefoot. An Italian reader tells us, "I think that in 20th century among some wealthy families (not all) there was no problem to let the children go barefoot during the playtime at home or in the grounds around home. They would never, however, have let a child go barefoot in a public (except on a beach) or for a formal studio portrait." We note open toe sandals in the 1920s as summer footwear for wealthy children, while the poor still went barefoot. This continued to be the case at the time of Workd War II when the country was devestated. And even more children had to go barefoot. The situation contunued to be desperate for a time after the War. But then as the German Economic Miracle anf American aid helped revive the European economy leading to the Italian Economic Miracle (1950s). European integration was another important factor. More and more children began eearing shies, even in rural areas. For the first time in Italian history, most children were wearing shoes or sandals. Italy is now a very properous country, Very few children go barefoot, but sandals are very popular during the summer.
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 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."
We think that many people in Italy and the rest of Europe went barefoot. The great bulk of the population was the rural peasantry. The children certainly went barefoot. Economics was certainly a factor. The economic consition of the peasantry suggest that footwear was not nerly as common, as in urban areas. A complication here is that even in the stoneage footwear existed. We know that because of Otzie found un the Alps and radio carbon dated (3300 BC). What we don't know is to what extent his footwear was related to crossing the Alps in the snow. And basic biology suggests that footwer was needed during the winter. Of course, Italy is a peninsula extending into the warm Mediterranean. Southern Italy is warm enough to go barefoot the year round. The available imagery confirms that children went barefoot. Trends for the general population, especially the rural peasantry are less clear. The fact that protective footwear is helpful for working people, suggests that the male peasntry did not go barefoot, at least all of it. The situation of the more affluent classes is better known. Footwear was an indicator of social status and fashionable styles were worn. Persons of any status would not appear barefoot in public.
Many Italian children went barefoot in the 19th century. We have few photographs of the 19th century, but large numbers of children went barefoot then which was common since ancient times. This was largely an economic issue. Footwear, especially leather footwear can be expensive. This is why children going barefoot was so pronounced in southern Italy. Italy at the time was one of the pooest coyntries in Western Europe. Which is why so many Itklaians emiograted to America and other countries. Of course climate was a factor. The warm weather made it possible for children to go barefoot year round. The industrial revolution began to have an impact on Italy (mid-19th century). This primarily affected northern Italy. With rising income levels in the north, more children were wearing shoes, although going barefoot was still common, especially in rural areas. The North continued to prosper in the early 20th century which meant that more chidren were wrearing shoes, but poor children continued to go barefoot. We note some image of well tgon do children going barefoot. An Italian reader tells us, "I think that in 20th century among some wealthy families (not all) there was no problem to let the children go barefoot during the playtime at home or in the grounds around home. They would never, however, have let a child go barefoot in a public (except on a beach) or for a formal studio portrait." We note open toe sandals in the 1920s as summer footwear for wealthy children, while the poor still went barefoot. This continued to be the case at the time of Workd War II when the country was devestated. And even more children had to go barefoot. The situation contunued to be desperate for a time after the War. But then as the German Economic Miracle anf American aid helped revive the European economy leading to the Italian Economic Miracle (1950s). European integration was another important factor. More and more children began eearing shies, even in rural areas. For the first time in Italian history, most children were wearing shoes or sandals. Italy is now a very properous country, Very few children go barefoot, but sandals are very popular during the summer.
The North continued to prosper in the early 20th century which meant that more chidren were wearing shoes, but poor children continued to go barefoot. Lare numberrs of Italians contiued to imograte, modtly from southern Italy. Most boys there contiued to go barefoot. Two decades of Fascist rule did not mesurably improve the living stanfards of Itkalians. We note some family snap shots of well to do children going barefoot. An Italian reader tells us, "I think that in 20th century among some wealthy families (not all) there was no problem to let the children go barefoot during the playtime at home or in the grounds around home. They would never, however, have let a child go barefoot in a public (except on a beach) or for a formal studio portrait." We note open toe sandals in the 1920s as summer footwear for wealthy children, while the poor still went barefoot. This continued to be the case at the time of Workd War II when the country was devestated. And even more children had to go barefoot. The situation contunued to be desperate for a time after the War. But then as the German Economic Miracle anf American aid helped revive the European economy leading to the Italian Economic Miracle (1950s). European integration was another important factor. More and more children began eearing shies, even in rural areas. For the first time in Italian history, most children were wearing shoes or sandals. Italy is now a very properous country, Very few children go barefoot, but sandals are very popular during the summer.
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