Reconstructing Ancient Linen Body Armor, unraveling the linothorax mystery by G.S. Aldrete, S. Bartell and A. Aldrete

Rather than a history book, Reconstructing Ancient Linen Body Armor (ISBN 978-1-4214-0819-4) is more an analysis of one of the main elements of battle dress in antiquity.

We certainly mentally picture Alexander wearing a linothorax as that is how he is represented on the famous mosaic from Pompeii, now exhibited at the Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy. On the other hand, when talking about soldiers from the Graeco-Roman era, we tend to see them in cuirasses made of bronze or leather, or in a combination of both.

The linothorax was also mentioned by Plutarch when he described Alexander’s outfit (see: Alexander’s battle outfit).

The matter obviously deserves thorough attention. After all, the lives of thousands of troops depended on proper bodily protection. Alexander would be the first to require the best possible armor as he positioned himself at the head of his army and was always in the thick of the fight.

This book will take the reader through every single step that was required to create a linothorax in antiquity and to recreate one today. To this purpose, the team of authors examined the literary and visual sources available, paying attention to the variety of structural elements as well as the accessories.

They relate the problems and challenges they encountered during their reconstruction of the linothorax, including the choice of fabrics and glues, the basic pattern and its variants, the thickness, and most importantly the comfort and wearability. One of the main requirements, if not the main requirement, was to prove that this garment would efficiently resist the penetration of arrows and withstand the blows of the enemy sword.

Last but not least, they examined the cost involved in making such linen armor. Who would or could make them. How much flax was available and how much work was required to spin and weave the fabric. Also, could the linothorax be produced on an industrial scale?

The conclusions of this intensive and thorough study are very revealing. Amazingly the linothorax turns out to be very practical to wear even in hot climates. It was more waterproof than expected and if the outfit got truly soaked it would dry pretty quickly. Just think of the Macedonians crossing the many hot deserts in Asia and wading through an endless number of rivers. The weight is another important factor and it has been established that a typical linothorax wouldn’t be heavier than 3.5-4 kg (as opposed to a bronze cuirass with an equivalent degree of protection weighing between 8 and 10 kg). If damaged, the linen could easily be repaired and the operation didn’t require specialized skills.

What’s more, the basic skills to make a linothorax, i.e., spinning, weaving, and gluing, were common among almost all inhabitants of the Mediterranean region. The outfit was suitable for mass production as it did not have to fit a specific individual. Because of the ties on the side and top of the garment, it would automatically adjust to the body of the wearer (unlike the bronze cuirass that was personalized for each individual). As pointed out earlier by David Karunanithy (see: The Macedonian War Machine), the outfits could be made available in basic sizes just like today, small, medium, and large.

What may at first sight be seen as a cheap and inferior armor, the linothorax most certainly is a legitimate alternative to the more expensive (and less comfortable) bronze cuirass.

Reconstructing Ancient Linen Body Armor makes captivating and highly interesting reading and proves – if needed – that Alexander and his Macedonians wore the best available armor of their time.