throughout the hoplite era, the standard hoplite armour went through many cyclical changes. an archaic hoplite typically wore a bronze breastplate, a bronze helmet with cheekplates, as well as greaves and other armour. later, in the classical period, the breastplate became less common, replaced instead with a corselet that some claim was made of linothorax (layers of linen glued together), or perhaps of leather, sometimes covered in whole or in part with overlapping metal scales. eventually, even greaves became less commonly used, although degrees of heavier armour remained, as attested by xenophon as late as 401 bc.