'Unnerving' ancient Roman discovery in UK changes what we know about history

Daily Mirror

25-06-2025

The Roman Fort Magna, located in Northumberland, has been the site of several ancient footwear discoveries, but one shoe, due to its size, has left archaeologists particularly impressed
Archaeologists excavating the Roman Fort Magna in Northern England have stumbled upon three examples of leather footwear, one of which is equivalent to a modern-day size 14.
This colossal shoe wouldn't look out of place in today's NBA, where the average shoe size is 15 and the typical player stands at six-foot-seven or two metres tall.
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The team unearthed these 2000 year old fashion items while digging through defensive ditches en route to excavating the fort, suggesting that the owner of the large shoe was quite a big man for his time.
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These artefacts were discovered in a section of the trench designed to ensnare the feet of those attempting to cross it.
Around two thousand years ago, the Romans dug a narrow but deep defensive trench outside the fort to hinder enemies from gaining access, reports the Express.
This posed problems for incoming soldiers who either weren't paying attention or misjudged the depth of the feature, resulting in shoes being discarded there.
Teams from the Vindolanda Trust project have started excavating the Magna Roman Fort from its perimeter, working towards the main fort and encountering some defensive ditches on the outskirts of the former structure.
Workers on an archaeological dig were anticipating the unearthing of pottery but were taken aback when they stumbled upon three 2,000 year old shoes in remarkable condition. Popular Mechanics reports that the real showstopper was the largest of the trio, measuring a whopping 12.6 inches.
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Rachel Frame, the senior archaeologist for the project, shared her excitement on the project's diary page: "(It) immediately drew impressed gasps from volunteers and staff alike."
Frame detailed the construction of the Roman footwear in her notes: "This gives us a really good look at how Roman shoes were made: multiple layers of leather were used to form the sole, held together with tongs, stitching, and hobnails," she explained. "These also reinforced the outer surface for walking and are found on many styles of shoe."
The most astonishing discovery was the colossal ancient shoe that left archaeologists gobsmacked by its size.
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The enormous shoe, akin to a modern U.S. men's size 14, is just one shy of basketball icon LeBron James' size 15. To put it into perspective, the NBA star stands at six-foot-nine, hinting at the stature of the person who once wore this historical piece.
Frame expressed that finding intact shoes can shed light on the craftsmanship behind them and potentially reveal details about the people who wore them. With the discovery of these shoes, the team's hopes are high for uncovering even more significant finds in the future.
"The anaerobic preservation here has generally been pretty good, which is really promising for our future excavations," she said.
"When we move inside the fort, we will have surviving timber buildings."
Frame mentioned that delving into the mud to unearth history gives archaeologists a connection to those who once dwelled at the site, also referred to as Carvoran, which might have been a fort since approximately 85 A.D..