greek armours

[hoplite14gr]

Dan I think I will agree with you on the armor thicknes.
After seen the museum exibits I come to to think that they put the maximoum thikness to the vital parts an minimum thickness in other areas.
"Italiotic" Corinthian helmets are an example with thick upper parts and less thick facial. That is one way to distribute weight.
On bow penetration I can only follow re-enactors comments at forums, I do not have personal experience. Some people tend to exagerate but not all reconstruction statistics can be dissmised as invalid.
Xenofon says that Karduchian longbows killed Cleonymos (arrow piersing the shield and armor-no mention what armor was though!) and arrow piercing the helmet of Vasias-no mention what type of helmet) Also no mention of the distance.
I do not know any body having reconstructed a Karduchian longow.
The largest longbow that I have seen is in the Saroglou Collection in the War Museum in Athens but I think it must be Medieval not Ancient.
Iron must give an edge over bronze or copper as the Doreans and Sea Peoples demonstrated.
Kind regards
Stefanos