Metal plate beneath Linothorakes or Spolades

[immortal]

To "Immortal":
You might want to check facts, figures and information before venturing an opinion such as the above ( see e.g. Scott's equally controversial and anecdotal, but opposite views to yours on arrows penetrating bronze armour). The contest between armour of all sorts and offensive weapons is an old one - there is even a science called 'ballistics' going back a long time. The contest between firearms and modern armour is not at all irrelevant. The laws of physics remain the same, whether we are considering the penetration of an iron spear against a bronze breast-plate, or depleted uranium rounds against composite 'chobham" armour.
Since the pistol was not invented until well after 1500 ( allegedly by Camillo Vitelli in Pistoia Italy), it follows that pistol 'proof' marks could not have appeared before renaissance times.

Don’t be afraid to use my name, it is in my signature. And please don’t be so condescending. Surprisingly I have heard of ‘Ballistics’

I never said anything about the pistol being used?? I just used your way of referring to them as 'pistol marks'.
If you read my statement you will see I referenced Muskets and Crossbows, both were around before the Renaissance (how do you define this time period??). Like it or not, a steel breastplate is resistant to these. Some of my friends are very deeply involved in medieval arms and armour, including the restoration of world class artefacts.

Yes, the laws of physics remain the same with modern weapons and armour, but they are in no way relevant to a discussion dealing with arrows and bronze armour. Would you use the argument "an AK 47 can penetrate a flak jacket, so an arrow must be able to penetrate bronze armour"?
You mention depleted uranium, if you know how this works, you would know that this is especially not relevant!

I simply do not believe that an arrow from the ancient world can penetrate a curved, properly made bronze cuirass, or a helmet. Especially not from combat range of an archer.
A lucky strike from a spear may do, but as I said you would do your best NOT to hit the armour.

Scott:
There is no way that some kind of mythical glued linen armour could outperform bronze. What bow did you use for these tests? How far away did the archer stand? Was it a flat sheet of bronze? Or an accurate reconstruction of a cuirass?