Leather Cuirass

[hoplite14gr]

Spollas is a hottly debated subject since it appears sonly a couple of times in Xenophons works.
Some people think it was just a soft leather subarmalis-ypothorakio under metal armor.
Some belive it was light armor used by the Ekdromoi hoplites.

Interpretations 2:
From the Pylos battle freskoes and Exekias pottery paintings.

Nothing conclusive just bits and pieces.

Pesonally I lean towards the subarmalis-ypothorakio explanation.

As for the protection qualities of cloth armor please see the "linothorax" threads.

Homer speaks of LINOTHORIKTOS-literally "linenarmored" so with the aid of pictorial evidence and excavated material linothorax was certain.

Hide armor seems to have only circumstantial evidence so far.

Kind regards