calceus patricius, senatorius, equester - looking for input

[Martin Moser]

Hi,

I've started research on the calceus patricius, senatorius and equester as I want to try and build at least one of those over the next winter (hopefully). As a starting point I'm using

Goette, H.R. 1988: 'Mulleus, Embas, Calceus. Ikonografische Studien zu römischen Schuhwerk', Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts 103, 401-64

and

Lau, Otto. Schuster und Schusterhandwerk in der griechisch-römischen Literatur und Kunst, Diss. (1967)

If any of you have extra information (pics, texts, etc.) on these types of shoes please let me know!

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Salve Martin,

Although I hate to bump my own Attic Helmet post down…. Here are some photos of originals. :roll:

Calceus


I’m not sure what a Patricius is, aside from a reference of Leader of the Jews against the Romans in the fourth century and another Patricius was the son of Aspar. Appointed as Caesar by Leo in 469, he was engaged to Leo's younger daughter Leontia.

I had little luck finding pretty much anything on the senatorius or senator’s shoes.

The equester, which I’m presuming is the equestrian boots often seen by high ranking Generals and Emperiors, are here (I’m getting ready to make these myself) to my knowledge no originals have ever been found, the only references are in sculpture.





Hope that helps or at least gets you going in the right direction!

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Salve again,

Caesar is wearing Equestrian boots here (I'd love to see a close up of these)



I know someone made/sells the style above that Caesar is wearing... I'll update this post when I find it.

[Peroni]

I'm sure Martin won't like being called 'Slave'! :wink:

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

I'm sure Martin won't like being called 'Slave'!

I really have to watch my typos!!! :oops:

[Martin Moser]

Although I hate to bump my own Attic Helmet post down…. Here are some photos of originals.

Thanks, but I'm afraid I know those (Newstead) :-) ) . Actually youcan't find any photos of the calcei I'm looking for information for, since none have been found so far.

I’m not sure what a Patricius is

It is a calceus worn mainly by persons of the social rank "patrician", the same applies (in theory at least) for the other two types, senators and equestrians or knights.

The equester, which I’m presuming is the equestrian boots often seen by high ranking Generals and Emperiors, are here (I’m getting ready to make these myself) to my knowledge no originals have ever been found, the only references are in sculpture.

That, according to Goette would be the "mulleus", high ranking individuals like emperors or their statues rather, are seldom found wearing equestrian boots it seems (details on this also in Goette's article)

The calceus patricius is the boot closed with 4 bands of leather (?) in two knowts, one above the other, the senatorius basically the same, but only with 2 bands/one knot and the equester does not show any bands or knots, but rather is only ankle high and has the upper end of the leather folded oer and down, so that no sort of closing of the shoe can be seen. A repro can be seen here, look at "Rom 7". On the statues the leather looks a lot thinner/softer, though (lots of folds).

[Martin Moser]

I'm sure Martin won't like being called 'Slave'! :wink:

Well, considering that in Bavaria "Servus" is still used as a greeting between friends, I'm easy :-) )

[Martin Moser]

That is an interesting mix there of mulleus and calceus, I'll try and find out more about it when I find time! Thanks for posting it!

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Salve... and that is SALVE!!! :wink:
Maybe I should stick to AVE... I don't think I can screw that one up!

The vender who made the "mulleus" was Terry Nix, this is his version:



He appears to be basing his on the Caesar statue too but, I'd still LOVE to see a real close up of the statue or a real close up of the drawing.

I checked my IE Favorites and it was actually Travis Lee Clark that called this style of boots "Equestrian Boots" so it's all Travis' fault!!! :wink:
http://astro.temple.edu/~tlclark/lorica/parts.htm

[Octavianus]

Hi Martin
This is my first try at it...
[img][/img]

Regards

Octavianus/Jordi Mambrilla

[Martin Moser]

Thanks again for all the replies!

Afraid I can't help you outwith Caesar's shoes at the moment either, Anthony :-( (

Thanks for posting the image, Jordi, well done, but I think they should be less pointed and the tabs need to go around a couple more times, like the drawing here shoes for example:



(from Goette, see above)

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Salve again,

Here's a bit of info from www.uky.edu .... after reading it, I guess I'll have to make my mulleus red.

BTW: Jordi, just round off the point of the toe a bit and add longer tabs (straps) and you'll have a winner! A laudes awaits!

Calcei patricii: Boots for Roman nobles which had closed uppers and a long tongue (Edict of Diocletian 9.7). They were hound to the leg with four thongs (corrigiae), two on each side attached between the sole and the uppers, front and back. The thongs tied around the upper ankle and the middle of the leg. These calcei were perhaps distinguished from the senatorial boot (calcei senatorii) by the distinctive red color of the patrician shoe (mulleus). The senatorial boot seems to have remained black.

Calcei repandi: Pointed-toed shoes, curving upward at the toe, that were worn by Etruscans in the sixth century B.C. These, in theory, were the model for the later Roman senatorial calcei with lacing and straps. Cicero says that only statues of Juno Sospita continued to use the pointed-toe calcei repandi, but a rounded-toe version may have been in use as late as the third century A.D.

Calcei senatorii: Boots for Roman senators, which were perhaps distinguished by their black color from the patrician boot. When members of the equestrian class hegan to enter the ranks of the senators, patricians might then have been distinguished by the color of their boots. The style of the senatorial boot seems to have been identical to that of the calceus senatorius; in the Edict of Diocletian, however, the calcei patricii cost 150 sesterces, while the calcei senatorii cost only 100 sesterces, which indicates some substantial difference.

Calceoli (diminutive of calcei): Small shoes, half boots, usually for women.

Calceus (pl. calcei): Shoes that came up over the anklej the term comes from the Latin calx, "heel." This shoe was the major contribution of the Romans to footwear, since the Greeks relied mostly on varieties of sandals or boots. Calcei were formal shoes worn with the toga outside the house, while sandals were worn with the tunic inside the house. Slaves were not allowed to wear calcei. Bonfante-Warren ("Roman Costume," 605) adds, "Though the word was used for high closed shoes in general, cf. calceamentum, in contrast to soleae or sandals, it meant especially the official Roman shoe worn with the toga (toga et calcei). A special type, mulleus, was believed to have been the shoe of the kings of Rome, specifically the Etruscan kings.... The Roman senatorial calcei, derived from Etruscan shoes . . . were high-topped, laced with black corrigiae . . . and fastened with a buckle called a luna."

Calicae: Shoes, differentiated in the Edict of Diocletian (9.9) as shoes for senators and for equites (calicae equestres).

Caligae: Army boots with hobnailed soles and cutwork straps. These straps formed a complex network on the uppers; there were also two or more straps tying at the upper ankle. Caligae are also referred to in the Edict of Diocletian (9.5-6) as "boots for mule drivers or farm workers, first quality, without hobnails."

Caligae muliebres: Boots for women, similar to those worn by soldiers, but without hobnails. Caligae muliebres cost only 60 sesterces in the Edict, but those for soldiers, without nails, cost 100 sesterces.

[gaiusseptimiuslucianus]

Hi Martin,

I made a pair for a friend. It was a first attempt and I'm not particularly satisfied with them but I will try to scare up a picture and post it. I made the upper out of deerskin because ones in statuary look awfully thin and drapey. The insole is 4mm. cowhide and the single layer outsole is about the same. I'd like to make another pair and I would definitely make the sole an additonal layer. I don't know what I'd do about the upper, whether I'd go again for deer or maybe some goatskin (I recently got some nice veg tanned goatskin).

Lucianus

[Marcus Caecilius Avitus]

Hi Martin,

I've made two pairs to date, of the two strap version you show in the illustration. One pair are goatksin red uppers with blacki straps and the other all black suede. both pairs are made as two piece lasted boots. using a last technique means the toes are round and quite tidy. Unfortunately while I make lots of bits of kit I'm terrible at recording progress and finished articles. Now to try and find a picture of them :roll:

[Martin Moser]

Thanks for letting me know, guys. Looking forward to possibly see some pics!
Could you tell what you based those shoes of yours on?