Cothurni

(also buskins), the footwear worn by actors in ancient Greek and Roman tragic drama. It had very thick soles, which increased the stature of the actor and made him more visible in the large theaters of antiquity. Cothurni also imparted a stately solemnity to the actor’s appearance and gait. The word “cothurnus” has become a general term meaning a stilted spirit of grandeur.