Peltast

"Tissaphernes had not fled at the first charge, but had instead charged along the river through the Greek peltasts. However he did not kill a single man as he passed through. The Greeks opened their ranks and proceeded to deal blows and throw javelins at them as they went through."

- Xenophon

The Peltasts were mercenaries or Greek soldiers who often served alongside the regular infantry or hoplites in combat. Armed with ranged weapons such as slings, short bows, and most often javelins, the Peltasts would often stay behind the main troops and let loose their weapons upon any that attempted to flank them.

The Peltast soldier type is believed to have originated on the Thracian coast, and were often shown to be hired by various cities on the coast. However, as the Peltasts were hired further and further inland, they became more prominent in all kinds of Greek warfare. The Peltasts as warriors became most prominent during the 4th century BCE, where they were shown being used by many Greek generals alongside their main hoplite warriors.

Peltasts were not very well armored, but they easily made up for it with their quick speed. Often the peltasts were placed on the sides of the phalanx, where they would unleash their javelins and slings onto the charging infantry, then retreat to safer distances if they got too close.