Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Solea

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SOL'EA. A sort of clog or sandal, of the simplest form; consisting of a mere sole underneath the foot (Festus, s. v. Isidor. Orig. xix. 34. 11. Aul. Gell. xiii. 21.), bound on by a strap across the instep, like the annexed example (Solea/1.1) from a Pompeian painting, and the clogs now used by the Capuchin friars. It was worn by both sexes indiscriminately. Ov. A. Am. ii. 212. Hor. Ep. i. 13. 15. Plaut. Truc. ii. 4. 12.

2. Solea spartea. A shoe or boot made of the Spanish broom, for the purpose of protecting the feet of cattle and beats of burden, when tender or diseased. (Columell. vi. 12. 3. Veg. Vet. i. 26. 3. ii. 45. 3.) The example annexed (Solea/2.1) is not from an ancient original, but shows a contrivance of the same kind now used by the inhabitants of Japan, consisting of a small basket, made to the shape of the animal's foot, on to which it is bound by a strap round the fetlock.

3. Solea ferrea. A protection for the feet of mules (Catull. xvii. 26.) employed in draught; intended to answer the same object as the modern horse-shoe, though differing materially in its quality and manner of fixing; for the concurrent testimony of antiquity, both written, sculptured, and painted, bears undeniable evidence to the fact that neither the Greeks nor the Romans were in the habit of shoeing their animals by nailing a piece of iron on to the hoof as we now do. The contrivance they employed was probably a sock made of leather or some such material, and similar in form and general character to the solea spartea last described; being passed under and over the foot, and bound round the pastern joint and shanks of the animal by thongs of leather, like the carbatinae of the peasantry. This sock was not permanently worn, but was put on by the driver during the journey in places or upon occasions when the state of the roads required, and taken off again when no longer necessary. Both the nature of the contrivance, showing that it was a close shoe covering the entire foot, and the practice of putting it on and removing it occasionally is sufficiently testified by the particular terms employed to designate the object itself and the manner of applying it  — mulas calceare (Suet. Vesp. 23.); mulis soleas induere (Plin. H. N. xxxiii. 49.)  — as will be understood by referring to the articles CALCEUS and INDUTUS. When the underneath part of the sock was strengthened by a plate of iron, it was termed solea ferrea; but under the extravagant habits of the empire, silver plates were sometimes used instead of iron, when it was called solea argentea (Suet. Nero, 30.); and sometimes gold, solea ex auro. (Plin. l. c.) It is consequently an iron plate of this kind which Catullus speaks of (l. c.) as being left in the mud, by getting detached from the sock under which it was fastened; and not one nailed on to the hoof, like a modern horse-shoe.

4. Solea lignea. A sort of wooden clog or fetter, into which the feet of criminals were inserted, to prevent them from escaping while being conducted to prison. Cic. Inv. ii. 50.

5. An instrument, or a machine employed for bruising olives to make oil (Columell. xii. 52. 6.); the nature of which is entirely unknown.

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  Solea/1.1
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  Solea/2.1