Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

ORIGIN OF PELTASTS. 63mathematics and the art of war as then understood, continuedto grow in excellence. There was never a lack of welltrainedleaders. It was the free-bornrank and filewhich was degenerating,or allowing hirelings to do the duty itshould do itself.The bone and sinewof the Greek republics had disappeared.The hoplites continued to be the favoritetroops.Only they were lookedon as warriors. Their armament remainedthe same, except that theirshields grew smaller, — from four totwo and a half feet in height, whilethe pike grew longer, — from ten to asmuch as twenty-one feet, or, as someFull-Armed Greek Archer,state, twenty-four feet, which was the sarissa of Macedon.The psiloi served to protect the hoplites as well as to openthe battle. The best archers and slingers came from Crete,Rhodes, Acaruania, ^gina, and Achaia. The psiloi camefrom a poor class as of yore, were illy armed and of littleconsideration. It was reserved for Iphicrates of Athens tobetter their disciplineandcondition, and prove theirutility in service. Afterthe Peloponnesian war hecreated a new body, armedwith well-poised sjoears forcasting, light but good'linenarmor, and a small,Peltast.round shield (pelte), fromwhich they were called peltasts. These troops had in a degreethe lightness of the psiloi and the steadfastness of thehoplites.This new arm proved useful, and was shortly imi-