Daily Archives: March 10, 2026

When the Roman soldier went into battle, he went with the Belt, the Breastplate, and the Boots. The Belt was a wide swath of leather tightly bound around your lower stomach, and though not a part of the armor, it was what all the armor attached to. The Breastplate was a bronze or iron piece that covered your upper torso, protecting your heart, lungs, and bowels from damage by sword, spear, or arrow. The Boots that the soldier wore were called CALIGAE. The sole of the Caliga (single boot) had multiple layers of leather, built up to ¾ to 1 inch thick. Iron studs were driven through the outsole, so that the boot was cleated for stability. The inner sole was from a single piece of leather that protected the foot from the studs, and it extended upward into long straps that made a lattice that surrounded the calf of the leg. The Caliga, when laced up, fit snug to the leg and foot, preventing the soldier from forming blisters on long marches. The open lattice of the Caliga meant that water and sand easily drained away from the feet, and gave good ventilation.

One of the earliest defensive weapons employed against soldiers was sharpened sticks, hidden in the grass or in sand. The sticks were poisoned, and if a soldier stepped on them it would drive into the foot, crippling and maybe killing. The Caligae were so thick they could not be penetrated, making the Roman Army nearly invincible.

As the Apostle compares the weaponry that we as Christians are to employ against our enemy the devil, he ties the:

Roman BELT = The Biblical TRUTH
Roman BREASTPLATE = Imputed RIGHTEOUSNESS from Christ
Roman BOOT = PREPARATION of the GOSPEL

The Boot Is The PREPARATION Of The Gospel Continue reading →