Quote Originally Posted by Ca Putt View Post
IIRC we had such a discussion here some years ago. I think the "result" was that the combination of "heavy" arrow proof armor, thick shields and deflection through Pikes. In addtion to swift cavalry which has proven usefull against archers throughout the ages.

while a linothorax(no matter if actually linnen or Leather) may not be a good choice vs swords it's flexibility provides ample protection against arrows. As seen in EB the pikes form a sort of artificial forest, thin but constantly moving trees, the arrow is no bullet aka has a substancial length and is not lightnigh fast, thus random deflection is likely. An arrow which has lost it's momentum is unlikely to pierce a helmet or the shoulderpiece of a linothorax.
While this does not make them immune to arrow fire it provided sufficient protection to get a substancial part of them into melee with Sparabara and Hoplites where their superiority is more apparent.

At least that's how I see the matter.
I'll supplement Ca Putt's points with one of my own.

Do note that arrows do not occupy a thin cylindrical space as they travel through the air; they tumble, bend, flex and spin in an area roughly the shape of a rugby ball- abit far larger. Imagine hundreds of rugby balls each 2 feet in length tumbling through the air, the likelihood that they get caught in the brambles of pikes or tree branches is now considerable. Also, volley-fire is never accurate anyhow. It's a matter of quantity over quality.