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Comment by watutalkinbout | Hacker News Reader

That said, as someone who has walked on cobblestone - a modern road in modern boots is different to an ancient road in ancient boots.

I'd bet money the 'real' travel times would differ.

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In the case of Spain, many long distance roads are no longer safe for pedestrians as there are cars on them now. Madrid to Milan would be a suicide missions in current day.

Are there no bike paths or foot paths close by? You don’t literally have to walk on the street the cars are using.

This is a Street View link to Via Augusta, one of the oldest roads between Spain and Italy (8 to 2 BC). It’s not walkable anymore. There isn’t an alternative footpath. You might hike on the beach and climb the rocks in between but that is significantly harder than cobblestones.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACFQnM14CQgXGBBu8

Coordinates (41.1337583, 1.3308702)

If I enter Madrid and Milan in Google Maps and select walking, it does show some footpaths to take, no? Those don’t look like major roads.

Don’t know how to share the route without doxxing myself but you can enter it yourself.

In the example I gave Google will tell you to walk over N340 / Via Augusta. Highly dangerous.

Walking Madrid to Milan Google suggests to walk here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/STmiz37BiKtxe6HX7

(41.9218388, 1.2047772)

The pattern of dirt and rocks on the other side of one of the guardrails looks like what you get from people walking it.

> an ancient road in ancient boots

Boots? That's luxury! Sandals more likely...

What you call sandals the Romans called boots. Their boots were open on the top but still heavily soled. This suited their climate and kept the foot cool and dry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligae

The wikipedia article names them in the first paragraph "sandal-boots".

So maybe they were both

(If I were to see someone wear them today, I would call them sandals)

A modern alternative might be a pair of crocs?

These were hob nailed thick soles leather boots where the uppers were a series of adjustable straps. I don't think there's anything modern that's comparable.

The closest in terms of function would probably be the jungle boot, where the uppers have drains and fabric air circulation panels built in to keep the foot cooler and dryer.

These boots were designed to allow the wearer to walk long distances without discomfort in the Mediterranean climate of the Roman empire

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