Caligae Construction

[Magnus]

You know what though? Are you comparing both your caligae (if you've made any), as well as Marten's and historical originals, to the average joe's? Because I hate to point this out, but you guys, as well as the craftsmen who originally made sandals in the Roman Army, had more skill as well as access to originals and a better eye for detail.

My sandals that I measured:



Are well within the proper width, but when you put them on my feet the straps look thicker because they're butted up next to each other. I probably made my sandals a bit big...I'm not much a pro at it, so my foot doesn't stretch the straps out much. And, in some spots, the strap is quite thick because there isn't any cut out area there. Sometimes people don't make the cut out areas to the exact shape or size of the originals, but who are you or anyone else to say that is incorrect?

Are you basically then saying that the patterns most people use, which are the ones developed by Simkins and Connoly are wrong? Most people have used the patterns on the Legio XX site. So if you're basing your opinion on reconstructions you've seen by people who've used them, don't you think that's a little unfair? If there is nothing wrong with the patterns they've been using, then it's their fabrication methods. We can't all be professionals, nor have access to originals.

It's elitist to say that they are all wrong, simply because someone didn't make their cut out areas big enough. Big deal. My lacing loops on my segmentata look like brass monstrosities, and they're not even a round shape at all. But that was the best I did at the time...they aren't WRONG, just poory constructed. And they certainly don't detract from my impression, or make me look any less authentic.

Just like the use of milk paint on scuta. I'm not repainting my shield, I'm not buying specialized paint for it either. But Matt Amt had the best attitude about it, saying something to the effect of: Well, we're going to do it, but if you don't want to, no problem! You can still come out and play with us. Basically, don't take yourself too seriously, and just enjoy it! Over analyzing and studying something to death can really take the fun out of it...maybe not for you, but for others.

Certainly if you held a fine eye glass to my gear, you'd probably end up throwing it all out because of things that just aren't authentic, even though it's the best that I could do at the time, give modern conventions. If you're able to do better, bravo! But don't be condeming anyone else for their attempts.