That\'s it, folks... I\'ll have a go at making a linothorax!

[lupus]

Guys..., (hate to say this...), but I've study SO MANY photos (from Hoplite's festivals) these passed days... I'm also checked many "Roman festival's" photos... and came to some conclusions.

The Roman Army's re-construction kits (panoply, helmet, etc.) looking "more" close to the "real-original" thing...

The Greek Hoplite re-construction kits, looking FANTASTIC,... but "less" close to the "real" thing...

I'm explaining myself:

Because of the BRONZE material, these Hoplites' armor parts that I've study in the photos, looking quite "strange" and like they are mad by COPPER! :?
TOO MUCH bright metalic parts, for my opinion; and the most important, BRONZE CAN'T remain too much time SO BRIGHT!
I know, I have many OLD stuff from my grand-grand fathers (from Asia Minor era - Constantinoupole) and AS MUCH AS if I'm polishing them, they're NOT becoming SO bright!

What's the "catch" in these FINE Hoplite's parts that I've seen?

They are MODERN MADE weapons! With MODERN techniques and MOST important, MODERN tools & polish methods!

To me, if I would buy or create (kind of difficult to me) a Bronze Hoplite Panoply, I would KEEP it always... looking quite "used".

First of all, that ancient weapons COULDN'T remain bright long, 'cause they've been... USED quite often!
Even if you can imagine a Spartan army (notorious for their practice of polishing VERY MUCH their arms), very FINE & bright in their armours,... after the FIRST impact on the enemy lines, the brightness gone!

So... again I'm sorry, don't get me wrong, all I want is to share a thought that MAYBE will be usefull to you,...
... maybe you all should "add" some "aging" on the metalic parts.
Of course, the "Linothorax" or any other FABRIC parts would be "aged" in the Ancient Times, but FIXING/CORRECTING a fabric part is a fast job to do, even durring a battle's pause...

Also... about some plumes I've checked; plumes were horse-hair, yes? But how the Ancienst have these FINE plumes SO LONG high?

They were... "gum" these hairs together, with primeval kind of gum (don't remember exaclty the "elements" of that gum, I must re-check my books).
So... after so many conflicts, these plumes were TACKY in the exterior parts, but STILL "glued" in the inside parts, close to the helmet...
(Also, in some Spartan Officer's helmet I've seen, the "hair-tails" are TOO SORT...)

And... the colors, mates. Too much of many different colors... Colors were NOT SO MANY, in the Ancient Times.
RED (actually, "earth-red", like pantile), was the number ONE color. Not only Spartans, almost everybody used the red.
It's common sence why... Red soil & clay is EVERYWHERE in Mediterranean era!
Light "sky" blue, purple, orange... very RARE (if not say, non-existent).
Yellow was one of the colors (from onion's melting)...

(Anyway, I must re-check my books, I can't recall all these infos from my mind... I'm getting old...)

Anyway... that's some thoughts of mine... Fellows' Hoplite kits are looking FANTASTIC, like I said, but to me... a bit of TOO GREAT to looking like we travel back to time and saw REAL Hoplites...

Regards and sorry if I sound like a jerk!