In the large battles, which though rare in Classical Greece were usually decisive, peltasts played a very minor role. We hear for example that Agesilaos had superior numbers of peltasts at the battle of Coronaea in 394 - but Xenophon does not mention them at all in his description of the battle. [Hell. 4.3.15]. Again, peltasts are mentioned as being present on the Theban side at Delium, but they seem to have played no discernable role in the battle.

Though large set-piece battles were few and far between, we have many instances of peltasts fighting in smaller battles or engagements. There follows a summary of their performance in these conflicts.

No matter where they fought, peltasts generally fought in the same manner. They were chiefly skirmishers, using missiles to wear down the enemy and avoiding hand-to-hand confrontation when it was not to their advantage - when 

Versus Hoplites

In 398, some Bithynian Thracians showed a force of hoplites how deadly the peltast could be when using skirmishing tactics in the right circumstances: "The Bithynians gave way whenever the Greeks rushed forth, and easily escaped, being peltasts fleeing from hoplites; they kept throwing javelins from both sides and struck many of them down at each sally. In the end the Greeks were shot down like cattle shut up in a pen."[Hell. 3.2.4]. We also know from Xenophon that in the 390s, prior to their success at Lechaeum, Iphikrates' peltasts had defeated Mantinaean hoplites. [Hell. 4.4.16].

Peltasts combined well with other missile troops such as toxotoi and psiloi. At Sphakteria, Thucydides described the tactics of Demosthenes used against the Spartans there. He had a force of 800 peltasts and the same number of archers, as well as psiloi.

"Demosthenes divided his troops into companies of about two hundred, and made them occupy the highest points in order to paralyze the enemy by surrounding him on every side and thus leaving him without any tangible adversary, exposed to cross-fire - attacked by those in his rear if he attacked in front, and by those on one flank if he moved against those on the other. In short, wherever he went he would have assailants behind him, and these light-armed assailants were the most awkward of all: arrows, javelins, stones, and slings making them formidable at a distance, and there being no means of getting at them at close quarters. "[PW. 4.32.3].

Aided by cavalry, peltasts were also very effective. Thucydides here tells us how Cleon's army in Thrace was finally destroyed by peltasts and cavalry combined:

"The Athenian right made a better stand. Though Cleon, who from the first had no thought offighting, at once fled and was slain by a Myrcinian peltast, his infantry formed up in close order upon a hill and two or three times repulsed the attacks of Clearidas. They did not give way until they were surrounded and routed by the missiles of the Myrcinian and Chalcidian horse and peltasts. "[PW. 5.10.9].

Here Thucydides describes peltasts acting in concert with psiloi and cavalry:

"The Chalcidians had some peltasts from Crusis, and after the battle, these were joined by more from Olynthus. Upon seeing these reinforcements, the psiloi, emboldened by their previous success, again attacked the Athenians, with the help of the Chalcidian horse and the reinforcements that had just arrived. This forced the Athenians to retire upon the two divisions which they had left with their baggage. Whenever theAthenians advanced, their enemy gave way and then pressed them with javelins the instant they began to retire, the Chalcidian horse joining in and charging them as they liked. At last this caused a panic amongst the Athenians, who were routed and pursued a great distance. "[PW. 2.79.4].

However, the encumbered hoplite could pose a serious threat to the peltast if the former were well trained. Describing Iphikrates' peltasts, Xenophon says: "But the peltasts in their turn were so afraid of the Lakedaimonians that they did not come within a javelin's throw of the hoplites. For it had once happened that the younger men among the Lakedaimonians, pursuing even from so great a distance as that, overtook and killed some of them." This is an instance of ekdromoi performing their function admirably.

Peltasts perhaps performed best when combined with hoplites, as at Lechaeum, and as for example occurred with Thrasyllus' peltasts in 409 in Ionia: "Thereupon the peltasts and two companies of the hoplites came to the aid of their light troops and killed almost all a of the men from Miletus; they also captured about two hundred shields and set up a trophy."[Hell. 1.2.3]. This engagement produced a very high proportion of casualties.

Even when peltasts could not break the enemy, harassment tactics could frustrate an opponent to the point of demoralization, as happened to the Thebans in the 370s when opposed by Spartan-led peltasts:

"The Thebans, wanting to avenge themselves, made an expedition with their whole force against the country of the Thespians. But when they were within the territory of Thespiae, Phoebidas pressed close with his peltasts and did not allow them to come out from their phalanx. The Thebans, in great vexation, proceeded to retreat more rapidly than they had advanced - and their mule-drivers threw away the booty they had seized and made off home - a dreadful a panic had fallen upon the army. " [Hell. 5.4.42].

Note that the entire Theban army was present; this would have included their cavalry (at this time numbering 1,100), which was of high quality. 

Versus Cavalry

When fighting in the open, peltasts performed poorly versus cavalry.

`Now when the Olynthians saw the peltasts sallying forth, they turned about, retired quietly, and crossed the river again. The peltasts, on the other hand, followed very rashly and, with the thought that the enemy were in flight, pushed into the river after them to pursue them. Thereupon the Olynthian horsemen, at the moment when they thought that those who had crossed the river were still easy to handle, turned about and dashed upon them, and they not only killed Tlemonidas himself but more than one hundred of the others. "[Hell. 5.3.4].

A few years later, during Agesilaos' invasion of Boeotia:

".., the mercenary peltasts in the service ofthe Thebans clung boldly at his rear and kept calling out to Chabrias to join them. But the horsemen of the Olynthians -for they were now serving with the Lakedaimonians in accordance with their agreement - wheeled around and, in pursuit of the peltasts, chased them up a slope and killed very many of them; for when going up a hill where riding is good, infantry are quickly overtaken by horsemen. "[Hell. 5.4.54].

A tactic sometimes used by peltasts fighting cavalry was to open up their ranks and let the horsemen pass through them, attacking the latter as they did so. During the march of the Ten Thousand, Xenophon describes one such incident: "Tissaphernes had not taken to flight in the first encounter, but had charged along the river into the Greek peltasts. He did not kill any though, for the Greeks, after opening a gap for his men, proceeded to deal blows and throw javelins upon them as they went by."[An. 1.10.7].

However, if followed closely by friendly hoplites, peltasts could be effective against cavalry: "Therefore, after sacrificing, he immediately led his phalanx against the enemy line of cavalry, ordering the first ten year-classes of hoplites to run to close quarters with the enemy, and telling the peltasts to lead the way at double-time."[Hell. 3.4.23]. This charge broke the Persians. For further details on Greek cavalry see this authors article `Classical Greek Cavalry - a Reassessment' in Strategikon Vol. I Iss.4.

The Peltast in Classical Greece

Preface and Introduction
What is a Peltast?
Speed and Maneuverability
Equipment and Function
Effectiveness in Battle
Conclusion and Bibliography
Peltasts in Action Diagram (27K)
Peltasts on Attic Amphora (86K)
Peltasts on Attic Cup (73K)