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Caliage
#16
I don't feel the nails on soft surface and that week was all on soft ground. All my guesses as to the source of the problem are just that - guesses. A professional might be able to guess more or better. The pain I get after a prolonged time in caligae is all centered in the balls of my feet. I'll just have to see if I can come up with something better myself. As to the nail pattern, I do find this intriguing:

http://www.legiotricesima.org/campusMart...ligae.html

This pattern really is similar to modern running shoe. It's the one I'm inclined to try. Another option would be to make the nails circle the ball of foot without any nail directly under it and thus form a sort of a springboard. But again this is just an uneducated guess.
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#17
I have to say that I am not impressed with the pattern of those boots from the point of view of the heel, they may indeed have been made from an original type however there has been too much taken out at the heel area.
Were I have mentioned earlier a one piece upper for caligae is much the better style with a good shaped heel support with a double cross stitch, which is much stronger and better than the poor stitching of those shown.
Brian Stobbs
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#18
Quote:Well, if you feel the nails, that is a problem of wrong design
Not all of them, just one pesky one that will soon get itself mashed well with a hammer.

"All right, Mr. Nail, take that! and that! and THAT!!"
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#19
Quote:http://www.legiotricesima.org/campusMart...ligae.html
This pattern really is similar to modern running shoe. It's the one I'm inclined to try.

FWIW, this pattern is only confirmed with (partly probably) early 1st cent AD finds (e.g. Kalkriese, Mainz). Soles found with the pattern for the upper shown there (dated 80-90 AD) do have different nailing patterns.
One has to say however, that there is not enough finds to make this a hard and fast rule at the moment.
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#20
With my comments about caligae I am trying to point out how many re-enactors find that they have problems when wearing this type of footware.
It is a situation that even with modern footware if you don't have a good fitting shoe you will have problems with your feet, what I have said is that there has to be good contact all round with this kind of footware in particular.
This is why as I mentioned ealier that with a smaller sole to the shoe it helps to give so much better contact of the straps with the foot, and also the Archilies tendon needs to be supported well.
Indeed when I look at most caligae the problems are that people make the sole too big with no contact of the side straps against the lower area of the foot, and then a straight back shoe does not support the heel at all hence we have a shoe that is doing it's own thing against where people want it to go.
It is where one can tighten the straps until they are blue in the face and still never solve the problem of sore feet.
Brian Stobbs
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#21
Thanks for starting this topic.
I have felt like a wimp since last year where our "march of death" was renamed the "march of pain"
we all had different calligae and hobnails but only one of us escaped without mangled feet.
I made my calligae and can only imagine that I am not using thick enough inner soles as the hobnails - which started out feeling like massage sandals soon felt like iron maiden shoes and I walked in my socks after the first half hour and changed my footwear the next day. I also hate that it was me that picked up the stones in my calligae- no matter how I altered my gait. I am going as a barbarian in boots or late roman next time so I do not have this problem. We also basted our inner thighs with olive oil to slow down chafing- what do others do???
regards
Richard
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#22
Quote:I am going as a barbarian in boots or late roman next time so I do not have this problem.
Why? Late Romans also use hobnails.. unless you mean they get in your shoe. Of course, not all LR boots are closed, many carbatinae are also quite open on top, although of course not at the front like caligae.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#23
Hi Richard

On our marches I have found that knee length linen underwear has stopped the chaffing I suffered on the first one. I also carry a couple of spare leather insoles for extra padding. During breaks, my francisca (hammer) & sharpening stone (i.e. a pebble) used as an anvil served to whack down any stray hobnails.

Didn't get the stone in shoes problem as being late roman we had enclosed boots (with hobnails) but I did get blisters from marching in boots full of water after fording a stream.
Semisalis Abruna of the Batavi iuniores Britanniciani
aka Nick Marshall
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