They were worn by the lower ranks of roman cavalrymen and foot soldiers and possibly by some centurions.
Roman soldier sandals spike.
The roman soldier sandals were fitted with metal spikes on the bottom of the sole.
Gradually local shoe making crafts were incorporated and jubilant soldiers returned to rome proudly sporting their ethnic shoes as souvenirs from successful campaigns.
The spikes allowed them to in the words repeated four times in ephesians 6 10 14 stand firm in the battle.
These spikes helped them maintain their footing.
In ancient greek the word tribalos meant three spikes.
The spikes or nails in the bottom of the shoes caused them to dig into the ground so that they would not slip and fall during the fight.
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The roman battle sandals were the best in the world for protecting the feet of the soldier.
The other thing these sandals provided was traction.
Martens men s geraldo gladiator sandal.
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He distinctive footwear most identfied with the roman soldier was the sandal called the caligae but there were other types also.
Caltrops were known to the romans as tribulus or sometimes as murex ferreus the latter meaning jagged iron literally iron jagged thing.
They were also used in the battle of carrhae in 53 bc.
Caligae singular caliga were heavy duty thick soled openwork boots with hobnailed soles.
The shoe tack turned the humble sandal into militarized hob nailed sandals ideal for protection and traction to optimized grip for the marching soldier and combatant.
Caliga comes from the latin callus meaning hard as hobnails were hammered into hard leather soles before being sewn onto a softer leather lattice.