Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Peltasta

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

PELTAS'TA (πελταστής). In a general sense, one who wears the light shield called pelta; but the name was also specially given to a particular class of the Greek soldiery who were equipped with this defence (Liv. xxviii. 5. xxxi. 36.), composed originally of Thracian mercenaries, but subsequently adopted into the regular army by Iphicrates the Athenian. (Xen. Hell. iv. 4. 16. v. 12. seq.) In addition to the pelta, they carried a knife or dirk, but had no body armour (Herod. vii. 75.), and thus occupied an intermediate grade between the heavy-armed troops (ὁπλῖται) and those who were altogether unprovided with protective arms (ψιλοί). (Polyb. v. 22. Ib. 23. Ib. 25.) The left-hand figure of Priam in the annexed illustration (Peltasta/1.1), from a marble bas-relief, exhibits and Asiatic peltasta, whose costume corresponds very closely with the description of Herodotus (l. c.); and the right-hand one, from a terra-cotta lamp, represents a gladiator of the class called Thracians (Thraces), who were equipped in the same style as the soldiers of that country; and, consequently, may be received also as an exemplification of the accoutrements and general appearance presented by the military belonging to the corps in question.

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  Peltasta/1.1