Leather Cuirass

[Magnus]

If the experience of modern re-enactors is anything to go by, it is a lot easier to make a tube-and-yoke corselet from leather than linen.

Well, no, it isn't anything to go by. Do these reenactors kill the cow/goat, tan the hides themselves as well as constructing the armour? Or are they just buying the leather and making it from there? Thus which is easier from a modern stand point is rather irrelevant and out of context.

I believe talk of a 'sub-armalis' is a "red herring". AFIK no such thing existed at this time in the greek world.

Entirely possible. Though if you've ever tried on a segmentata, or even a metal muscled cuirass, you're going to need something under it to prevent chaffing and bruising. Armour is only as good as it's 1) ability to defeat penetration and, 2) ability to defeat blunt force trauma.

Without any padding underneath, any kinetic energy from a weapon blow is going to be transmitted right through to your organs, muscle and bone. That in itself will mean serious injury, taking you out of action. Thus even textile or leather armours are going to need some kind of padding to back it up.

As I indicated earlier, sub-armalis type garments only became necessary with the introduction of "mail" and spread to other types of armour ( possibly including muscled cuirasses) from there........unless of course someone has some evidence for padding under greek armour......?

Yeah, I could maybe see that...but anything that is stiff in any way shape or form, including linen or hardened leather is going to chaffe you. You're going to need something under it to prevent that. Not to mention my above points, which are somewhat life and death circumstances.