Linothorax vs Spolas

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Paul, the laconian pilos MIGHT have been used as an arming cap, but i have proof for the use of more than three shapes of arming caps, and no proof or even indication that the laconian pilos ever was. So, it was no more an arming cap than the petasos was, and you cannot claim that the petassos ever was considered an arming cap, even if it was worn in battle (by cavalrymen mostly but not only) and at leats one bronze example has been found. So no, the pilos is not evidence at all of the greeks using their armour padding as armour in its own right, since there is no evidence that it was considered armourpadding. If you ask me, i believe they could have worn the original felt version under their bronze ones some times, still this doesn not make it a specific kind of padding. It is a hat that made it into a helmet, like a number of other greek hats.

I would be weary of leaning towards that thicker chiton being a leather jerkin used as subarmalis.
First of all, it seems to be a "foreign" influence, and we often see it worn by Thracian peltasts (who don't wear armour) and Amazons. The patterns also pint to that direction, and i will point out that even the Thracian cloaks are rarely depicted with any amount of pleats and wrinkles. Thracian winter is COLD, i can assure you!

Wearing two chitons, one obviously thicker than the other but hardly looking like leather, is depicted also in sculpture. The stele below is an excellent example. Being an Amazon, she is wearing the long sleeved version.

[attachment=2679]1137561598_343aac0252_b.jpg[/attachment]

The use of the "perizoma" or whatever we call it, with metal cuirass is extremely rare in artistic representations too. In more than the 90% of the times, they are worn either over a light chiton, or they have leather pteryges attached to the cuirass itself.

Cushioning for armour? I'm all for it. Evidence for a subarmalis-leather jerkin or other separate garment worn under it, and also used as armour in its own right? None!
Every time that spolas or similar words are used in literature, they are worn in their own right, and never mentioned worn under other types of armour. Xenophon is far from such an example.
Khairete
Giannis