LEGIO XI ONLINE HANDBOOK

L E G I O X I C L A V D I A P I A F I D E L I S

Handbook for Legionaries: Caligae

These heavy sandals are the classic Roman army boot. Numerous examples have been found at first-century sites.

Construction involves a lot of careful cutting but is otherwise straightforward. The upper is cut from a single piece of 3 to 6-ounce leather, well-oiled (with neatsfoot oil) to prevent decay. The sole is one-half to three-quarters inch thick and is made of several thick layers (8-ounce or heavier), with the upper sandwiched between the top two. The layers are held together with hobnails: lay them on an anvil or flat piece of steel, and drive the nails into the sole so that the points go through the innermost layer and bend over as they hit the steel. Cover the clenched points with an additional insole of leather, felt, or sheepskin, securing it in place with a few stitches. Complete the shoe by sewing up the heel seam with a butted or overlapped seam.

Click here for Leatherworking Tips.

One of the caligae above at right is shown loosely laced with a white cord to make the lacing easier to see. The lace is threaded criss-cross through the slits in the tabs or straps just like a modern shoe is laced. (There are no clear depictions of the laces in military caligae, but there are many depictions of civilian shoes laced in this fashion.)

The tabs or straps are made long enough to meet in the middle and turn upwards, reaching another half to three-quarters of an inch. The slits should end just short of the point where the tabs turn upwards.

The caligae at bottom right are sewn up the back with a butted seam, though other methods are also acceptable.

Original caliga photo, German Leather Museum, http://www.ledermuseum.de/DLM/vollbild/seiten/03.htm

Original caliga at the French National Archaeological Museum, by Zack Smith, http://home.comcast.net/~plutarch/caligae.html

The conical or domed iron hobnails should be about .25" to .5" in diameter. Here is a photo of some originals: http://www.geschichte.uni-osnabrueck.de/projekt/12/images/caligae.jpg

The heads need not be perfectly shaped--irregular or flatter shapes are acceptable. World War I or II-style hobnails will work, or "Antique Nails" from some hardware stores--currently we use five-eighths-inch "Decorative Wrought Head Nails" from Tremont Nails (see Suppliers list). Upholstery tacks are not durable enough.

Before cutting good leather, make a working mock-up out of vinyl, junk leather, or heavy cloth. DO NOT MAKE THE SOLES TOO WIDE--trace your foot and cut the soles narrower by 1/4" on each side. Make the tabs extra long and the slits shorter than necessary, and adjust them later.

One clever trick for making a pattern is to put on an old sock and cover it (not too tightly) with a couple layers of duct tape. Then cut it carefully off, slitting it down the front and back, and open it out flat. Use this as the basis for your mockup, remembering that the tabs need to extend beyond the cut top/front edges of the taped sock by an inch or so (because the edges of the taped sock just meet in the middle, while the tabs of the caligae sort of overlap, right?).

At left is the sole of a civilian shoe, showing a very typical nail pattern of simple straight lines. At right is a variation of the circle-and-line pattern, a stick-figure barbarian on his knees, begging for mercy. The idea is that he is trodden underfoot with every step!

Click here for patterns

Making Authentic Caligae "how-to" page, by Lee Holeva, http://www.geocities.com/legio_tricesima_cohors_tres/campusMartis/MakingCaligae/MakingAuthenticCaligae.html

Good caligae can be purchased from Paul Royce at PAR Fabrica, the link is in the “Assembling the Basic Kit” portion of the handbook.

The latest version of Deepeeka's caligae are much improved from their older ones, but are still too wide, and the leather and nails are not great – stay away.

Many thanks to Matthew Amt and Legio XX for much of the intormation on this page.

Legio XI/11th Legion
Clavdia Pia Fidelis