Sandals

[Paullus]

Dumb question, but I've got a friend who's saying the Greek didn't use sandals, basing his argument on the fact that most Greeks are shown barefoot on the red-black vases. What is the historical evidence for sandals? I know Connolly, Jeff Burn, and other artists show hoplites with sandals, plus almost every reenactor I've seen pictures of has them on. What's the deal?

[Carlton Bach]

Xenophon writes at one point that it got so cold at night men's sandals froze to their feet. I'm sure there are other references to footwear in the Classics - I think there's a reference to 'Persian slippers' in Lysistrata, but that's female attire. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some Greek soldiers did go into battle barefoot. They were used to walking barefoot doing fieldwork.

[hoplite14gr]

Xenophon writes at one point that it got so cold at night men's sandals froze to their feet. I'm sure there are other references to footwear in the Classics - I think there's a reference to 'Persian slippers' in Lysistrata, but that's female attire. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some Greek soldiers did go into battle barefoot. They were used to walking barefoot doing fieldwork.

I think you are right. Also it is hard to imagine troops from the Krimean colonies or Stavropolis (Modern Stavropli) campaigning barefoot there.
Snow there has atendency to stay in these regions until April. Fotware of the Sktythian type might have been quite normal.

[hoplite14gr]

Xenophon writes at one point that it got so cold at night men's sandals froze to their feet. I'm sure there are other references to footwear in the Classics - I think there's a reference to 'Persian slippers' in Lysistrata, but that's female attire. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some Greek soldiers did go into battle barefoot. They were used to walking barefoot doing fieldwork.

I think you are right. Also it is hard to imagine troops from the Krimean colonies or Stavropolis (Modern Stavropol) campaigning barefoot there.
Snow there has atendency to stay in these regions until April. Fotware of the Sktythian type might have been quite normal.