Linothorax vs Quilted linen vs spolas

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

How do we know that these are thin and soft if we are looking at vase paintings?

As i said,we see these pteryges in sculptures and not vases after the 4rth century bc. In sculpture we can have a better idea of how sowft,thick and thin the matterial is. Also there are mosaics like the famous Alexander mosaic that show that the matterial of the pteryges at least was soft
Look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirjam75/1417436348/

Pollux was obviously drawing on more sources than just Xenophon, as that small portion of Xenophon that he quotes mentions nothing about the spolas being leather or hanging from the shoulders. The quotation was clearly just demonstrative, and not proof of his definition.

Pollux mentions two names, Xenophon and Aristophanes. And he also gives two definitions of spolas,the first of which is "the leather chiton".

I don't think anyone is arguing against this, especially since Pollux himself calls the spolas a "thorax of leather"

Actually Paul M has elaborated that thorax could originally mean only the bronze cuirass and whenever it didn't,then the matterial had to be specifed,which has no base at all. Only the word thorax can refer to any matterial.

From after this period in time, we have absolutely no evidence for the use of linen in any form of Greek defensive armour

Actually we do have. Didn't Iphicrates use linen cuirasses? Of course we are not told what the linen cuirasses of iphicrates took the place of,but it could even be no cuirass at all!
Khaire
Giannis