Summary

Roman shoe or calceus of leather, fragmentary, from the Roman site at Newstead, 140 - 160 AD

Accession Number

X.FRA 80

Other references

Original description

NEWSTEAD COLLECTION. Boot with large oval holes for the latchet + one side of the upper awanting, 11" long. [MoS description] Bloodshed, weapons and heroes. Roman military equipment. Legionary or auxiliary. Changing shoe fashions. (11) Shoe, AD 140 - 160, Newstead. [Scran caption] This fragmentary leather shoe or boot, also known as a calceus, was found during excavations at the site of the Roman fort at Newstead in Roxburghshire. It dates from around 140 to 160, providing evidence of a soldier's footwear. Only the upper half of the shoe survives. It was probably made by using nails to attach the sole to other bottom layers. The upper part of the shoe was attached between the sole and the insole, and usually had heel stiffeners. A variety of shoes have been found in Roman Britain, included examples where the soles were nailed or stitched to the bottom layers, sandals and one-piece shoes. Surviving where conditions are favourable, they show changing fashions over time. Date: Between 140 and 160 AD. Material: Leather. Dimensions: Length: 28.0 cm.

Associated person/people (e.g. excavator/former collection)

Newstead Collection

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

1905

Method (e.g. excavation)

Excavated

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

Newstead, Roxburghshire, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1914

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Unknown

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Not recorded

Image