Reconstructing Ancient Linen Body Armor - New Book

[Paul Bardunias]

There are a few dozen layered textile armours in various museums and I can't think of any that are made from twined cloth.

I think it would be hard to explain the 3-ply armor without twinning.  Greeks also used twinned linen as a the outer layer of the aspis.

I agree that if Greek linen armour was made from three layers of cloth then a twined weave is a reasonable assumption. If I were to make one from leather/hide then I'd use three layers as well. Which source says that three layers were used?

I don't have the 3-ply reference handy, but Alexander is said to have word 2-ply armor at Guagamela: “a breastplate of two-ply linen from the spoils taken at Issus” (Plut Alex. 32.5).

I originally took this to indicate two layers quilted with batting in between, but now I wonder if it were two very thick twinned layers.  Of course this brings up the question of whether, as Paul always said, linen may have been more popular in the east and leather in Greece.

The Greek is θώρακα διπλοῦν λινοῦν, "two-fold linen armour", which suggests that it was made from two layers. Twined cloth is a strong possibility.

Most of the Greek textual examples cited in the Aldrete book are describing Easterners wearing linen armour, not Greeks, so our claim that linen armour was more common in the East is well supported.

I agree. As I think you said at the time, I doubt anyone will come to a better conclusion than our RAT thread.