eltasts were mobile, fast-moving, lightly armed and armoured skirmishers, named for the small shield they carried, the pelta, that might have been circular or crescent shaped. The key strength of peltasts was their ability to hurt heavy infantry without injury to themselves. Their light armour, usually no more than a helmet and possibly greaves, meant they could run at their enemy, throw their javelins, and quickly withdraw to safety. When the enemy had lost enough men and was tired and becoming disorganized, the peltasts would close-in for hand-tohand combat with their curved knives and if they were wealthy enough – short swords. Some early peltasts were also equipped with long spears like the Bronze Age Greeks. Alternatively, they would set ambushes in difficult terrain, such as a mountain pass. The mobility and versatility of the peltasts meant
