Cothurnus (pl. cothurni; Greek: κόθορνος) is the Latin name for a high boot surrounding the calf that could reach up to the knee and was laced up the front. Sometimes it was ornamented with animal faces. It is said that the modern English word for this is buskin, so if you know what a buskin is, go for it. To me, they're equally foreign.
While the sole of the cothurnus was normally of the same thickness as ordinary boots, it could be made thicker by means of cork. The cothurnus was part of the costume of the Greek tragic actor and is used as a figure of speech by the Roman poets when referring to (Greek) tragedy. In the accompanying illustration of an actor in Greek tragedy, the figure is made extra tall by means of a head piece and cothurni. For more, see A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, by William Smith and Charles Anthon.
Comments
In the item on `Cothurnus` – the high-style boot worn
by the Romans – it was suggested they were of Greek origin. It may be true for no lesser authors than Smith and Anthon appear to hold to this view.
However, my belief was that they originated from Hibernia, when the Romans encompassed Spain and Portugal after 240 BCE. The lowly locals wore a form of espadrille, made from thick grasses (esparto) This style of footware was adopted by their conquerors, and made more elaborate with the use of leather and ornamentation, to the extent they became the fashion sported by the patricians in Rome.