Linothorax design/construction

[PMBardunias]

Paul, I have not been able to find a glue that they would have been able to use. all dried rigid and if flexed delaminated quickly

What did you try? Along with bone and hide-glues that are perhaps analogous to the type commonly used to make linothoraxes, there are various resins (pitch, rosin, etc.) from pines and more esoteric things like gums (mastic and others) and waxes, propolis and other insect drived materials (though they seem not to have had access to lac scales and laquor).

I don't believe that the linothorax was glued, but that is not so much because it could not have been. They probably had the technology to do so, but I can find no other application for the methodology and applications like this usually have precursors. Nothing like the extensive use of lacquor in Asia, though some glueing of wrappers in egyptian mummies.

Interestingly, the Silphium plant- of ancient birth control fame- produced a gummy adhesive. Unlikely it was used though, since it stinks of rotten garlic and I can't imagine that escaping the likes of Aristophanes.

A last point against adhesives is that some small fraction of your army would probably go into anaphalactic shock from the irritation and allergins produced by many resins- to say nothing of the itching. And then there is the flamability. Gives a whole new meaning to Roman candle.