How rare was lamellar armor? When was it introduced? Is it true that it was introduced to Scandinavia by retired Byzantine Guardsmen? Did Scandinavian armorers know how to produce lamellar or were they reliant upon trade if they wanted to get it? Lastly, during the Viking age, was it more common to see leather or metal lamellar, and why?
Did Norsemen, Danes and Swedes ever wear vambraces or greaves? If so, did Saxons and Franks wear it as well?
If a warrior was wearing leather armor, would it make sense to wear chainmail underneath? Would warriors wear lamellar over chainmail?
(stupid question, my apologies)
How rare was mail armor? If a warrior was attired in mail, would he wear a hauberk underneath?
In Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories series, he describes a Saxon who wears chainmail armor 'pants' (for a lack of a better word) - is that historically accurate?