Greek and Roman Footwear

Flip-flops with a Greek toga costume will make Brutus assassinate you, Cleopatra hand you an asp, and Socrates pass you the hemlock. Don't go there. You can wear regular leather sandals with Roman togas or Greek chitons. But if you've taken the time to learn how to make a toga or chiton, why not be Greek or Roman from laurel-wreathed head to toe? Ancient Greek shoes, or cothurni (impress your friends by saying it), came in a variety of styles: * Simple sandals made of a slip of leather strapped to the foot * Light slipper-like coverings similar to mules * Heavy nail-studded boots With their togas, ancient Romans mainly wore the caliga, a heavy sandal with a hobnailed sole and separate leather top, fastened by thongs. The Roman Emperor Caligula, who started his career as a soldier, was named for these shoes. You can wear these with toga costumes, or you can opt for the style available in costume shops with many straps crisscrossing around the half and ankle, almost to the knee.