03-07-2025
Archeologists baffled over ‘unusually large' Roman shoes found in Northumberland fort
Archaeologists unearthed unusually large 2,000-year-old Roman shoes, equivalent to a UK size 13 to 14, at Magna Roman Fort in Northumberland.
Eight leather shoes, each at least 30cm long, were discovered in a defensive ditch and were preserved due to low oxygen conditions in the soil.
Researchers are baffled by the large size of the shoes, speculating if it indicates taller people or those from a specific region lived there.
Separately, a well-preserved section of Watling Street, a 2,000-year-old Roman road, was unearthed in south-east London last year.
This 276-mile route, built shortly after the Roman invasion in AD 43, was a significant discovery that has redrawn the Roman road map in the capital.
