Luxury In Leather By Sandwalk

While 'An Army Marches On Its Stomach' (attributed to Napoleon I), for the legions of Rome from as early as 44 B.C., they marched, strictly on leather.

Emperor Diocletian, who ruled Rome between 284 B.C. and 305 B.C., determined that all leather goods should have ceiling prices. His determination was made because, among other things, his legions all needed leather for their sandals, armour, shields, harnesses, bags, etc.

In fact, leather goods were highly prized by the Italians throughout the ages, and, in 1873, a complete tannery was unearthed at the ruins of Pompeii, preserved in volcanic ash. Pompeii was completely demolished in 79 A.D. by an eruption of Vesuvius that overwhelmed the towns of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae.

The tanning of leather is one of the oldest trades of the world and can be traced back more than 7,000 years.

Historically, however, Italy has been one of the most-important centres of leather-crafting, mainly because of the malleability of the material and the ease with which it can be turned into all manner of goods.

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