Invitation for a unique experiment in the High Alps, July

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Makes you wonder even more on how the ancients managed.
I was going to comment on the photo of the guy in tunic and modern hiking boots.

[caiusbeerquitius]

Makes you wonder even more on how the ancients managed.

No, not really. It´s working, as we saw on the first day of the construction. Since we saw it works, I chose not to put my students to more risk than neccessary. In fact the Roman shoes were better, as long as one didn´t step onto the stone plates. Which we had to do a lot during construction.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

The Romans wouldn't have stepped on the stone plates?
Do you have sharp hobnails or the Le Prevoe type nails, that seems to make a bit of a difference too.

[caiusbeerquitius]

The Romans wouldn't have stepped on the stone plates?

Did I say so?? *puzzled*

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

The Romans wouldn't have stepped on the stone plates?

Did I say so?? *puzzled*

No, but you did say the shoes were better as long as you didn;t step on the stone plates.....so how did the Romans manage so well is what puzzles me.
I've skated on stone too many times myself not to be amazed at how the Romans managed, :oops: :lol:

[M. Demetrius]

Yes, that's true GJC. Once, walking back to the car to get something for a display, I utterly lost my balance and fell flat forward, caught myself in proper judo fashion, hopped right back up and started to walk on. A passerby said, "Are you all right?" I replied, "Yes, I do this all the time" and disappeared down the sidewalk, thinking, "Wow, that could have been really bad." So, yes, it happens a lot. A centurion was killed in the Jewish Temple when his feet slipped on the marble floor. That lends some credence to the reports that the soldiers marched BESIDE the road, and the carts and wagons ON the road.

[Astiryu1]

I like to jog on soft ground as opposed to the roads and sidewalks and that is with modern footwear. This practice is better for the joints; especially the knees. I always thought the hobnails were used as a type of cleat for traction on the battlefield. That would be an advantage to the Romans by itself at the time. I never really thought about walking on a road with golf shoes hock: ... must be really uncomfortable and slippery as you say! :?

[caiusbeerquitius]

Byron, only the stone plates on the hang itself, that was mainly the getting to the construction site and back, as well as collecting stones. Walking on the road itself wasn´t a problem at all. The gneiss is not like polished stone, so you don´t slip under normal conditions, only when the angle gets very steep. The Romans would have had their road to to the construction place, so they only would have had some problems when collecting the stones, and these weren´t as big if one walked / stepped carefully, which requires some knowledge of where you can put your foot and where not / Alpine experience. Not all of my students had that. ^^

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Thanks for clarifying that Christian. Now I understand clearly....