A \'new\' look at the linothorax

[Kineas]

Elsewhereon this forum and off it, I've been part of a thousand debates on whether or not Ancient Greeks of the Archaic and Classical had linen based armour. I'll summarize--we don't know, it doesn't look as common as leather if it was there, Alkaios definitely mentions something and Herodotus mentions Persians and Egyptians having it...and Sappho's brother served as a Mercenary in Egypt.

Right?

So I was going through the Beazely gem archive today...

It isn't the smoking gun. But this is the first artistic depiction I've seen that could, without doubt, illustrate a quilted linen armour. It is an Ionian hoplite, according to art historians, from 500BCE--so a little after Alkaios and Sappho's brother, but the same area of the Greek world.

And to add to the fun, he seems to have quilted thigh armour, as well.

While this won't 'settle' anything, I find it quite an interesting and unique image.