Winter Clothing in 1st century AD legionary re-enactment

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Actually, I think there is quite a lot of evidence for socks. As well as the well known letter from Vindolanda from a soldier's mother, telling her son of her gift to him of socks and underpants, there is the child's sock from the same site. Okay - it was for a child, but the child must have been closely associated with a military establishment.

Byron, I am well aware that you have lived in both cold conditions and hot conditions as well as working amongst the hazards of the open sea and I would not seek to discount your own experience of this. However, how often did you spend a week walking in thigh deep snow wearing shorts, socks and lower leg insulation? This is the experience I am drawing on here, not simply that of having experienced cold weather.

Crispvs

Yes Crispus, I'm also aware of your expedition in modern leggings and shorts....
Try bare foot in the snow, in -25C