Roman Linothorax

[Black Widow61]

Did the Roman Army use the Linothorax (Greek) prior to the use of the Lorica, or solid cuirasses?

[Dan Howard]

I think that during the very early period of Rome's history, pretty much all of their military equipment and tactics were adopted from the Greeks. But before you can assume that Romans wore linen armour you first have to demonstrate that the Greeks wore it. Most of the evidence for the Greek tube-and-yoke armour leans in favour of leather/hide, rather than linen.

[M. Demetrius]

Well said, Dan.

[Tarbicus]

'Linen Clad Etruscan Warriors' by Margarita Gleba opens with textual sources. Have her sources been interpreted differently since then?

[Sean Manning]

'Linen Clad Etruscan Warriors' by Margarita Gleba opens with textual sources. Have her sources been interpreted differently since then?

The problem is that most of the texts are too early or not Greek. None of them clearly refers to the tube-and-yoke cut, and none tells us how it was constructed (quilted cloth? cloth stuffed with padding? Connolly's glue theory?) Only Aeneas Tacticus and Alcaeus refer to Greeks wearing linen armour which is not explicitly of foreign origin in the classical period, and Alcaeus is rather early to be wearing a tube-and-yoke. Then again, we don't have a lot of descriptions of Greek armour. Ruben Post had some very good and scholarly comments in a long thread a few years back.

White armour in art could indicate linen, or it could indicate alum-cured leather.

[Dan Howard]

White armour in art could indicate linen, or it could indicate alum-cured leather.

Apparently Athens had a lively white leather export industry. It is unlikely that all of it was used to make sandals.