Linothorax vs Quilted linen vs spolas

[Sean Manning]

I'll just add that there is almost no written evidence as to how organic tube-and-yoke armours were made or what they were called. The word "linothorax" is a modern term. Homer mentions it centuries before the tube-and-yoke first appears in art, and there are a few references to Greek armour of linen in Classical literature. There is better evidence that the "spolas" was a leather garment of some kind, but we don't know if it was armour. Some people think it was the ancient name for the "linothorax" but I'm not convinced.

So we are down to the art, which shows a smooth white surface and springy shoulders.

Oh, and yes, Htd. does say that Egyptians wore quilted linen cuirasses. They seem to have had a vest cut although images of Egyptian soldiers are scarce.