View source for Buskin

{{short description|Laced half-boot of Ancient Rome}}
{{about|the ancient boot|the Roman Catholic liturgical stockings|Episcopal sandals|the racehorse|Buskin (horse)}}
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[[Image:Buskin (PSF).jpg|thumb|Buskins]]
{{commonscat|Cothurns|lcfirst=yes}}
A '''buskin''' is a knee- or calf-length [[boot]] made of [[leather]] or [[cloth]], enclosed by material, and laced, from above the toes to the top of the boot, and open across the toes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nunn|first=Joan|title=Fashion in Costume, 1200-2000|date=2000|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-56663-279-9|language=en}}</ref> 

The word buskin, only recorded in [[English language|English]] since 1503 meaning "half boot", is of unknown origin, perhaps from [[Old French]] ''brousequin'' (in modern [[French language|French]] ''brodequin'') or directly from its [[Middle Dutch]] model ''brosekin'' "small leather boot". 

A high-heeled buskin ([[Greek language|Greek]] '''''kothornos''''' ({{langx|el|κόθορνος}}) or Latin '''''cothurnus''''') was worn by Athenian [[Tragedy|tragic]] actors (to make them look taller).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Myers |first1=Philip Van Ness |title=A History of Greece: For Colleges and High Schools |date=1898 |publisher=Ginn & Company |page=548 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N84pAAAAYAAJ |access-date=2 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Buskins therefore sometimes appear as a symbol of tragedy, often contrasted with "sock" (from Latin '''''[[soccus]]'''''), the low shoe worn by [[Comedy (drama)|comedians]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bronson |first1=Walter Cochrane |title=English Poems: The Restoration and the eighteenth century (1660-1800) |date=1908 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |page=434 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3VKAAAAIAAJ |access-date=2 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

The buskin was also worn by hunters, and soldiers in [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]], [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]], and [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] societies, to protect the lower legs against thorns, dirt, etc.

[[Byzantine emperor]]s were formally clad in purple buskins, embroidered in gold with [[double-headed eagle]]s.<ref>John Julius Norwich, ''A Short History of Byzantium'', Penguin 1998, p. 248.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Clothing in ancient Rome]]
*[[Caligae]]
*[[List of shoe styles]]

==References==
{{EB1911 poster|Buskin}}
{{reflist}}

* {{Catholic||wstitle=Buskins}}

{{footwear}}
{{Historical clothing}}
[[Category:Ancient Greek theatre]]
[[Category:Greek clothing]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic vestments]]
[[Category:Historical footwear]]