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Linothorax vs Quilted linen vs spolas
#94
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MeinPanzer:3d0zzisf Wrote:'Spolas de thorax ek dermatos...'

Just a minor semantic question, does "dermatos" translate best as "tanned leather", or "rawhide", or more like "something generally taken from the skin of a dead animal"? I know Dan and I discussed a similar topic in Homer's description of shields, and came to the conclusion that it was most likely rawhide, but I don't *think* the term was "dermatos" in that case, don't remember for sure.

"Derma" (genitive "dermatos") is a very generic term, and can be translated no more precisely than "leather." It has the literal meaning of skin, and does not really reflect upon the method of preparation.

Quote:Have to admit that I'm starting to lean towards the tawed leather spolas interpretation of the tube-and-yoke thingy. And I'm not loving that, cuz I already have a nice glued linen one!! But hey, good research does tend to make us sit back, throw our hands up, and say "We were all wrong!"

Please don't hate me, Dan! I still love you.... And I do still think the Mycenaeans were using quilted linen, but that's a whole different discussion.

Keep the historical citations flying, please! You guys have tons more good stuff at your fingertips than I'll ever manage to find, much less retain, so I appreciate all the knowledge.

Pollux's definition, though I have not checked it myself, is really the clincher for me. It pretty much addresses all the argumentative points in these sorts of threads: it explicitly states that it is a piece of armour and not some sort of undergarment; that it "hangs from the shoulders," pretty clearly pointing to the method of securing such cuirasses with shoulder yokes; and that it was worn alongside other, most likely metallic forms of armour. Furthermore, his reference to Xenophon (and the general nature of his work as a dictionary for Attic words and terms) indicates that he is referring to exactly the period under discussion - the 5th and 4th centuries BC - and not to the meaning of the word in some other period.
Ruben

He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
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Re: Linothorax vs Quilted linen vs spolas - by MeinPanzer - 03-08-2009, 03:13 AM

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