If the Shoe Fits . . . Shabbat 60 In the Mishnah’s list of forbidden items for a man on Shabbat is the סנדל מסומר , a nailed sandal. The Gemara explains that this type of sandal caused a panic resulting in death during the time of the שמד , religious persecution. It is unclear why that would result in the sandal being forbidden on Shabbat and both the Bavli and the Yerushalmi try to explain the issue. What is a סנדל מסומר ? It seems to be the same as another rabbinic footwear term, the קלגס . Both of them refer to a type of shoe worn by Roman soldiers called a caliga . This was a boot with vents and a thick sole studded with hobnails: Our sources emphasize the nails: the impressions they make in the ground as well as their clattering sound: Sandals like these, as well as the nails alone, were found at Masada and at other sites around Israel . At Masada , a pay slip for a Roman soldier was found, with the price of his caligae deducted from his salary! What is ...