Metal plate beneath Linothorakes or Spolades

[Thunder]

True, T&T's were developed with scales, but then again, how do you make scale armour? Soft leather, and you stitch on the scales. Which is entirely possible with a linen or leather construct of a L&T-type cuirass. I merely meant to suggest that this was a possible type of armour construction, possibly somewhere between the bronze cuirass' and cuirass' made of linen and leather. If you've got time and labour, which your average hoplite has (in the form of servants and/or family), scale is a relatively economical alternative to a plate cuirass as it can be made from scraps of material.

Also, weren't many of the scale reinforcings to the cuirass made on the sides? In my mind, the iron thorax type would be two plates of iron - one front, one back - with a soft or hardened leather/linen shoulder piece (as using an overarm spear with a rigid shoulder guard would be extremely difficult) and side pieces, all three of which would benefit from scale reinforcing to protect the man.

Personally, I disagree with the term 'linothorax' myself. Body armour tends to be a remarkably hetrogenous affair, and a basic design can find itself being altered and made from varying materials. Greaves, for example, have been made from leather, bronze, iron, and steel over the course of their existence