Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Roman antiquity, a military shoe; the most common form of foot-covering of all ranks up to centurion.
  • noun A bishop's stocking.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • The caliga was the badge, or symbol of a soldier; whence to take away the caliga and belt, imported

    The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 20, No. 562, Saturday, August 18, 1832. Various

  • The print, made by a hobnailed sandal called caliga, the sandal worn by Roman soldiers, is one of the only finds of this type.

    Footprint of Roman Soldier’s Sandal Discovered at Hippos | Impact Lab 2007

  • Depend upon it, had I endeavoured to divert him from exposing himself he would have treated me as an ignorant, conceited coxcomb, or perhaps might have taken a fancy to cut my throat; a pleasure which he once proposed to himself upon some point of etiquette not half so important, in his eyes, as this matter of boots or brogues, or whatever the caliga shall finally be pronounced by the learned.

    Waverley 2004

  • Not worth one hobnail on the sole of a Roman caliga!

    Fortune's Favorites McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1993

  • They wear the caliga, or low boot common to the Roman soldiery, and bear the trident; but the net with which they endeavored to envelop their adversaries is nowhere visible.

    Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

  • Above the niche, two "forms" or lasts are represented, one of them inside a _caliga_.

    Pagan and Christian Rome Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani 1888

  • A bas-relief in the Museo di Brera represents Caius Atilius Justus, one of the fraternity, seated at his bench, in the act of adjusting a _caliga_ to the wooden last.

    Pagan and Christian Rome Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani 1888

  • One of them, Caius, was called by the soldiers Caligula, or the Little Shoe, because he wore a caliga or shoe like theirs; and he never lost the nickname.

    Young Folks' History of Rome Charlotte Mary Yonge 1862

  • Depend upon it, had I endeavoured to divert him from exposing himself he would have treated me as an ignorant, conceited coxcomb, or perhaps might have taken a fancy to cut my throat; a pleasure which he once proposed to himself upon some point of etiquette not half so important, in his eyes, as this matter of boots or brogues, or whatever the caliga shall finally be pronounced by the learned.

    Waverley Walter Scott 1801

  • Depend upon it, had I endeavoured to divert him from exposing himself he would have treated me as an ignorant, conceited coxcomb, or perhaps might have taken a fancy to cut my throat; a pleasure which he once proposed to himself upon some point of etiquette not half so important, in his eyes, as this matter of boots or brogues, or whatever the caliga shall finally be pronounced by the learned.

    Waverley — Complete Walter Scott 1801

Comments

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  • Roman military sandal. Plural is caligae. Once who wears them is caligate (which see for a link to a picture). Thanks, she!

    August 12, 2008

  • The diminutive of this is caligula—and thus the future emperor gained his nickname.

    Caliga is somehow related to calc- "heel", but I don't know what the -ig- bit is doing there.

    August 12, 2008

  • The old hero is quite an enigma.

    Some say that he's stained by a stigma -

    A dux bellorum

    But sworn to the forum -

    King Arthur once wore the caliga.

    November 14, 2014