Sparta was one of the most powerful Greek city-states and is most remembered for its athletic and martial characteristics.
All Spartans would wear sandals or boots as their footwear. The sandals would be made of leather and would have a plain, utilitarian design. The boots, too, would be basic in design; the Laconian boot was considered to be open toed, to allow for more movement or to make the boot more suitable for the frequently warm conditions.
Athens
Between 3000 and 1200 B.C., early Minoan and Mycenaean men and women went barefoot, but had a variety of sandals, shoes, and boots for outdoor wear. The Spartans, who were noted for their tenacity, took pride in the hardness they demonstrated by never wearing shoes. Footwear was generally constructed of leather, with some felt, silky cloth, or wood thrown in for good measure. The Greeks tanned cattle hides for the majority of their footwear and invented tawing to cure the softer hides of calves, lambs, and goats for the finest shoes. Styles were named after their area of origin, renowned personalities who popularize them, and a variety of unique titles for certain styles.