Initially, the remnants of a ancient Roman sandal appear eerily like small twisted corpses rather than shoes. Despite initial impressions, a closer examination using X-ray technology reveals that the shoe components unearthed at the historic naval site exhibit extraordinary preservation.
Archaeologists discovered remnants of an ancient shoe near Oberstimm, a village in Bavaria, Germany, at a roughly 2,000-year-old fort. The relic consists of a sole and iron nails that could have enhanced traction on challenging terrain, according to the Bavarian State Workplace for Monument Preservation (BLfD) translation. Typically, only the nails from such footwear remain intact, but in this rare instance, the soles also surprisingly survived. Archaeologists unearthed remnants at an ancient fort’s remains, previously mistaken for the corroded remains of an antiquated sickle due to limited radiographic imaging capabilities, according to a press release from the British Lead Foundation and Development (BLfD).
The so-called caligae, a type of ancient footwear, were predominantly worn by Roman soldiers during the Roman Empire’s reign, as noted by Amira Adaileh, a consultant with the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation. Despite initial expectations, archaeological discoveries “suddenly reveal” that the Roman influx brought about significant cultural assimilation among the native population in Bavaria. The site yields a wealth of evidence, including Roman pottery, culinary remnants, and tools, starkly illustrating the extent to which local customs were influenced by Roman traditions.
While the remains bear little resemblance to the “gladiator sandals” of their time, they’re surprisingly similar – and potentially even trendy – in a recreation created by BLfD; this illustration depicts how they may have initially appeared when the Roman fort is believed to have been occupied, between A.D. 60 and 130.
