Working on creating Roman Calcei need input

[Martin Moser]

Hi Geoffrey,

congratulations on your first go at calcei!

One other question can anyone cite a historical
archeological source for ventilation holes or piercing designs for boots like
this or enclosed winter boots?

There are finds from Vindolanda (I think you know the one I did, cf. http://sutor.jimdo.com/shoes/roman-shoes...a-calceus/) and Cologne (Schleiermacher, M.; Laurenze, C.: Römische Leder- und Textilfunde aus Köln, in Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 12, 1982, pp. 205-216). These designs seem to have been fashionable for a comparatively short while around the end of the first to the start of the 2nd cent. AD.

Did such boots have felt insoles is there anything in the archeological record that
would show this feature also?

Please see my answer at your thread at http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...tml#341306

Want a source for correct early calcei that are enclosed for
winter and the correct fabric weave winter style leggings with ties

The earliest calcei attested by finds are those from the type found at Mainz, probably ealry 1st cent. AD. See http://sutor.jimdo.com/shoes/roman-shoes/mainz-calceus/ for more information, please. The only leggings with ties that have been found to my knowledge are from a bog find from up north, Sogaards Mose. Cf. this thread: http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...gings.html
An alternative (?) would be fasciae, which we only know of in the form of literature (cf. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Ro...ascia.html) and possibly see in some mosaics like the ones from Piazza Armerina.