Linothorax again

[Duncan Head]

Pausanias decribes linen armour being used both for war and hunting (though he reckons that it was more useful for hunting) during his own time and says that multiple examples could be found in the temple at Gryneum. While he doesn't specifically use the term "linothorax" he comes close - hoi de thôrakes hoi linoi [1.21.7] They were definitely made from linen, not leather.

In the first place, what Pausanias actually says is "Linen cuirasses are not suitable for combat, since against a forceful blow they let the iron through", which is not saying that they were used in war; rather, it imples that perhaps they weren't.

Otherwise, "They were definitely made from linen, not leather" once again begs the question of what "they" were. I don't doubt that linen armour existed. But what type was the linen cuirass Pausanias was writing about that was used in his day? Was it the hoplite's "shoulder-yoke" cuirass? Pausanias is writing in the 2nd century AD, so we can't assume he was necessarily referring to an Archaic-Classical Greek armour. A few decades before Pausanias, Arrian (Techne Taktike 4.4) refers to linen cuirasses, thôraxi ... linois, being worn in his day - but only mentions them being worn by cavalry, not when he discusses hoplite armour, even though he specifically mentions some items of "ancient Greek" hoplite equipment like the Laconian pilos. I don't know what type of armour he's referring to, but this context suggests it's not the old Greek shoulder-piece corselet; and I am inclined to doubt if that's what Pausanias means either. Does the fact that linen armour existed in the 2nd century AD tell us very much about what hoplite armour in the 5th century BC was made of?

The Gryneion sanctuary examples Pausanias says that he has seen may be more useful, since they are presumably older than his day; but of course we don't know what date they were from, or even if they were Greek, as opposed to, say, trophies taken from foreigners and dedicated (like Amasis' linen cuirasses in Herodotos 3.47.2-3). So it's just more confirmation that linen armour existed, not that the cuirass with shoulder-yoke and pteryges worn by 6th-5th century hoplites was linen.

I’m unfamiliar with the reference in Pollux's Onomastikonto the spolas could you elaborate a bit? Outside of Xenophon the only other reference I’ve seen is one from Aristophanes and in that context the implication seems to differentiate it somewhat from just clothing.

I only know the Pollux reference through the footnote in JK Anderson's Military Theory and Practice in the Age of Xenophon, I fear:

Xenophon speaks of the spolas[44], which was made of leather[45]. Other authors mention linen corslets, but we can only conclude that they were made to the same pattern as the leather ones; at least the monuments do not distinguish them.

Fn.44: Xenophon Anabasis iii, 3.20; iv, 1.18. The spolas of Aristophanes Birds 933 ff., is apparently some sort of weather-proof jerkin, not a piece of armour.

Fn.45: Pollux Onomasticon vii, 70 quoting Sophocles (frag.10).

As far as I know, Pollux isn't available online. Anyone got access to a printed copy?

cheers,
Duncan