Ancient Mycenaean armor put to the test in an 11-hour battle simulation inspired by the Trojan War

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Reported by Live Science:

Body armor from the Bronze Age was strong enough to protect a Mycenaean soldier in battle 3,500 years ago, according to a new study that had 13 soldiers fight in a replica of it for 11 hours.

Researchers took a suit of armor found in 1960 by archaeologists in Dendra, a village located near what was once the ancient Greek city of Mycenae, and recruited 13 soldiers from the marines of the Hellenic Armed Forces to test the artifact's mettle, according to a study published Wednesday (May 22) in the journal PLOS One.

For decades, archaeologists have grappled with whether the armor, which includes a boar's tusk helmet and a suit consisting of bronze plates, was hardy enough for combat.

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