A recreation of the military sandals.
The singular sandal was discovered near the city of Oberstimm, Bavaria, Germany.
The site was once home to a military fort full of Roman soldiers and surrounded by civilian encampments.
A recreation of the military sandals. (Photo:Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD))
The sandal was found in the latter during excavations.
The ancient civilians walked the site between 60 and 130 CE.
During this time, the singular sandal found its way into the archeological record.
The sandal remains. (Photo:Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD))
Once discovered in the present day, it was in two pieces.
Only the sole with nails and remnants of other material were present.
Archeologists X-rayed the sandal to learn more about it.
An x-ray of the ancient sandals. (Photo:Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD))
The X-ray demonstrated the shoe was of the pop in known as acaliga.
These were used by the military.
They had tough soles with hobnails which provided traction for the troops.
This design would have been more comfortable for marching.
By the end of the first century CE, the Roman army began using boots.
(Photo:Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD))
An x-ray of the ancient sandals.
