In little more than 30 years of life, Alexander III of Macedon – better known today as Alexander the Great – conquered much of the known world of his time, including the mighty Persian empire. He extended the reach of Greek culture further than anyone before him. In his spectacular military victories against often numerically superior forces, Alexander and his armies demonstrated tactical genius that is still analyzed in military academies.
How did Alexander accomplish so much in such a short time and often with fewer soldiers than the opposing armies? The main credit is ultimately due to his military genius. There is another intriguing reason for Alexander’s success: fabric. At a recent meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America in Anaheim, California, researchers presented the results of their reconstructive archaeological work. Their research suggests that Alexander and his soldiers wore a protective body armor made of linothorax made by laminating layers of linen together.
Gregory Aldrete, professor of history and humanistic studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, revealed in an interview with Discovery News that “we have 27 descriptions by 18 different ancient authors and nearly 700 visual images on objects ranging from Greek vases to Etruscan temple reliefs”. These findings testify to the extended use of this type of armor.
“While we know quite a lot about ancient armor made from metal, linothorax remains something of a mystery since no examples have survived, due to the perishable nature of the material,” Gregory shared. “Nevertheless, we have managed to show that this linen armor thrived as a form of body protection for nearly 1,000 years, and was used by a wide variety of ancient Mediterranean civilizations.” The main visual evidence for Alexander wearing linothorax is the famous “Alexander Mosaic” from Pompeii, in which the Macedonian king is depicted with this sort of armor.
Alexander’s apparent use of laminated linen got us thinking about the linen fabrics we carry at our online fabric store. While you probably wouldn’t be inclined to make laminated body armor out of linen, surely your creative juices would muster some other unique creation. Although linen is most commonly associated with spring and summer, when given decorative uses it looks good all year. Curtains and other draperies made from linen will lend a rustic charm to your décor. Linen can also be used to make bed sheets, pillows and other decorative and practical items regardless of the season.
Our linen dress fabrics won’t enable you to conquer the world, but you will most certainly be able to conquer your fabric projects.
Make all of your fabric conquests possible with J&O!
