For warmth, soldiers could wear socks (caligas fascias) under their caligae in colder climates, but in the Mediterranean, the openings provided plenty of air circulation for comfort.
The caligae were developed by cutting apart the top of the shoes and attaching the sections with ligulae (ties) which then securely wrapped up the leg. The etymology of caligae is undecided, but the Latin word for the ties and calx, the Latin word for heel, are the main contenders. On the soles, reinforcing the caligae, were iron hobnails (clavi caligarii) that also provided traction, like cleats.
One of the early emperors, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, is unrecognizable to most of us by his official name. Like the soldiers, who were sometimes called milites caligati, 'caliga-clad soldiers,' this emperor is known by a pet-name given him for his foot wear, the diminutive caligae, fashioned for him when he was a child. The emperor is known as Caligula, which means 'little caliga' or 'little boots.' He was the third Roman emperor, whose cruelty and insanity have inspired writers since his assassination.
Pat Southern says the caligae ceased to be used in the second century A.D.
References
- A Concise Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities," by Sir William Smith
- "Milites Caligati"
J. F. Gilliam
Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association Vol. 77, (1946), pp. 183-191 - The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History
Pat Southern
Oxford University Press: 2007
