From Roman roads to Milan catwalks the Gladiator endures

Kirk Douglas wore them – and it’s likely that the real-life Spartacus would have liked them too. There is nothing more guaranteed to mess up a gladiator’s afternoon than a shoe that just won’t stay on, and the multi-strapped sandal that bear’s the ancient fighter’s moniker is nothing if not reliable.

The same goes for any self-respecting runway model – just ask Lyndsey Scott, as New York magazine did – whose career rests on an ability to remain upright and elegant at the same time.

But there’s more to the gladiator shoe than simple practicality, at least for the modern woman. While Dr Marten is still making gladiator shoes fit for the Coliseum others are combining the classic lines with a very contemporary sexiness to produce shoes that are as much at home at the beach as at a cocktail party. Take this Michael Kors sample:

For us, that makes it a worthy entrant to the Timeless 50. Give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down on http://www.timeless50.com/