Padded Armour

[John M McDermott]

Let's examine some of the felt and leather arguments closely.

1. The Romans cared nothing for laundry, or by implication, cleanliness. How well does this stand up?

2. The Fayum shield was covered in felt. That could be, but it wasn't a subarmalis.

3. Felt clothing was used in other cultures. Probably the best argument. However, was there a felt subarmalis used by other cultures?

4. DRB talks about felt and Libyan hide. Tantalizing, but he gives us absolutely no definition of Libyan hide. All we can do is speculate: "It was Morrocon leather." Why not just leather? Libyan hide=Morrocan leather=leather. There is no logical proof here, merely speculation of the grandest sort.

These are not strong arguments in the favor of a felt and leather subarmalis.

I originally thought that linen was a strange material to make armor out of. And yet, the Greeks constructed curaisses of it. Why not leather? Why not hardened felt? Maybe they did, but have we found one? On page 81 of Connolly's book is a picture of a sculpture he interprets as a linen quilted curaiss used in conjunction with scale armor. Did Connolly misinterpret this? Maybe. But maybe his fallibility extends to other things as well? While I am on it, why not tunics of leather? Paenula? Sagum? Toga? It makes a lot more sense to make a Paenula of waterproof "Morrocan leather" than it does of wool. Are there any?

The problem with the felt and leather argument is that it is constructed on speculation and little else.