Linothorax: Kevlar of the Ancients
The Ancients22 Marras 2020

Linothorax: Kevlar of the Ancients

The House of the Faun in Pompeii is known for being one of the largest and most impressive private residences in the ancient city. Among its many works of art is a depiction of Alexander the Great in battle. In previous episodes we have discussed Alexander’s rule and empire, but this time, let’s focus on his armour, as shown in this mosaic on the floor of the House of Faun, the only contemporary portrayal of linothorax on a known figure. For, instead of wearing bronze or iron armour as one might expect, Alexander is going into battle wearing a breastplate of linen.


Gregory Aldrete has spent 12 years studying the composition and effectiveness of this ancient armour used by many nations around the Mediterranean. To do so, he recreated the armour from scratch, using authentic materials. In this episode Gregory, Professor Emeritus from The University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, speaks with Tristan about how this armour protected one of the most powerful conquering armies of all history, despite being made of a soft fabric.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(607)

Leonidas: King of Sparta, Hero of Thermopylae

Leonidas: King of Sparta, Hero of Thermopylae

In 480 BC, at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, a vastly outnumbered Greek force prepares to face the advancing army of the Persian king Xerxes. At its head stands Leonidas, king of Sparta, ready to mak...

22 Maalis 1h 3min

What if the Ides of March Failed?

What if the Ides of March Failed?

What if Julius Caesar had survived the Ides of March? This episode explores his last known plans — vast eastern campaigns, sweeping reforms, and his visions for Rome’s future. Could he have rivalled A...

19 Maalis 1h 3min

Herodotus: The Father of History

Herodotus: The Father of History

What drove Herodotus to write the first great story of history? Tristan Hughes speaks with Dr. Roel Konijnendijk to uncover the world of Herodotus of Halicarnassus - the traveler, investigator, and st...

15 Maalis 48min

The Phoenicians

The Phoenicians

Three thousand years ago, Phoenician ships sailed west across the Mediterranean, their holds packed with pottery, wine and enslaved people to trade. Passing beyond the fabled Pillars of Heracles, they...

12 Maalis 1h 3min

Bronze Age Star Map: The Nebra Sky Disk

Bronze Age Star Map: The Nebra Sky Disk

In 1999, a mysterious bronze disc buried for millennia in central Europe transformed how we see the prehistoric world. The Nebra Sky Disk - forged 3,600 years ago - is the oldest known depiction of th...

8 Maalis 50min

The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee

The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee

Before Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, Earth was rebuilding from catastrophe. Out of the ashes of the Great Dying rose a new prehistoric world and with it came the age of the dinosaurs.In this episode ...

5 Maalis 1h 17min

Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty

Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty

“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Ramesses II reigned as Egypt's unchallenged champion for more than sixty years. But within decades the dynasty of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh had fallen apart....

1 Maalis 56min

Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia

Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia

As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great. Alexander’s relentless campaigns from Bactria to Babylon p...

26 Helmi 1h 16min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
rss-ikiuni
totuus-vai-salaliitto
konginkangas
tsunami
rouva-diktaattori
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rss-peter-peter
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
apinan-vuosi
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
maailmanpuu
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-outoja-uutisia-pohjois-suomesta