An invaluable study of ancient light infantry units, the author draws on years of practical experimentation to demonstrate and test the various weapons these ancient armies would have used, from slings and bows to even amentum throwing straps.

Ancient accounts of battle often neglected the role of lightly-armed infantry, presenting the deeds of the heavy infantry, such as Greek hoplites or Roman legionaries, or dashing cavalry charges as the decisive battle winners. This bias was partly due to the light infantry typically being drawn from the poorer sections of society, who could not afford to equip themselves with armor and because they generally fought from a distance, killing from afar with missile weapons, not bravely face-to-face like heroes worthy of recording. Modern research has generally followed this bias.

Dr Jean Charl Du Plessis argues that while light infantry might have had a subordinate role in pitched battles, such clashes were relatively rare occurrences. Most ancient campaigns consisted mostly of foraging, raiding and pillaging of enemy territory, minor skirmishes and ambushes, all roles in which light infantry excelled. In particular they were indispensable for an army traversing mountainous or forested terrain. Moreover, he shows that even in pitched battles they were far from useless and made a valuable contribution, typically harassing the enemy as they deployed and screening friendly battle lines from similar treatment. Some, such as Cretan archers or Balearic slingers were highly sought-after specialists.

Uniquely, the author draws on years of practical experimentation to demonstrate and test the various weapons used: slings, bows and javelins, including the use of the amentum throwing strap. This yields fresh evidence and insights into matters such as range, penetrative power and the level of skill and practice required. Overall, this is a valuable study of these forgotten heroes of ancient warfare.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Identifying the Light Infantry
  • 1.1 The Term ‘Light’ as a Tactical Function
  • 1.2 Light Infantry Terminology – Collective Terms
    • 1.2.1 Psiloi
    • 1.2.2 Euzōnoi
    • 1.2.3 Gymnētēs
    • 1.2.4 Leves
  • 1.3 Light Infantry as a Collective Term
  • Part I: Light Infantry Troop Types
• Chapter 2 Archers: Toxotai/Sagittarii
  • Archers
  • 2.1 Arms and Armour
    • 2.1.1 The Bow
    • 2.1.2 Quivers and the Arrows
    • 2.1.3 Defensive Equipment
  • 2.2 Archers in Combat
  • 2.3 Conclusion on Archers
• Chapter 3 Stone Throwers: Sphendónitai/Funditores and Lithoboloi
  • Slingers
  • 3.1 Arms and Armour
    • 3.1.1 The Sling
    • 3.1.2 Slingshot
    • 3.1.3 Kestros/Cestrus
    • 3.1.4 Lithoboloi
  • 3.2 Slingers and Stone-throwers in Combat
  • 3.3 Conclusion on Slingers and Stone Throwers
• Chapter 4 The Javelin and the Peltast
  • Akontistai
  • 4.1 Arms and Armour of the Akontistai
    • 4.1.1 Javelin and the Throwing Strap
    • 4.1.2 Protective Gear
  • Classical Peltast
  • 4.2 Arms and Armour of the Peltasts
    • 4.2.1 The Peltē
    • 4.2.2 Thracian Cloak
    • 4.2.3 Javelins/Throwing Spears
    • 4.2.4 Swords
  • The Reforms of Iphicrates
  • 4.3 Arms and Armour of the Iphicratic Peltast
    • 4.3.1 The Iphicratic Peltē
    • 4.3.2 Iphicratic Spear
    • 4.3.3 Sword
    • 4.3.4 Linen armour
    • 4.3.5 Iphicratids
  • 4.4 The Javelinmen and Peltasts in Combat
  • 4.5 Conclusion on Javelinmen and Peltasts
• Chapter 5 The Multi-Purpose Hybrids of the Hellenistic Era
  • Hellenistic Elite Guard Peltast
  • 5.1 Arms and Armour of the Guard Peltast
    • 5.1.1 Heavy Armed Peltast
    • 5.1.2 Light-Armed Guard Peltast
  • 5.2 The Elite Guard Peltasts in Combat
  • 5.3 Conclusion on the Hellenistic Peltasts
  • Thureophoroi and Thōrakitai
  • 5.3 Arms and Armour of the Thureophoroi
    • 5.3.1 Thureos
    • 5.3.2 Dóru Spear
    • 5.3.3 Sword
    • 5.3.4 Armour
    • 5.3.5 The Thōrakitai
  • 5.4 Thureophoroi and Thōrakitai at War
  • 5.5 Conclusion on the Thureophoroi and Thōrakitai
  • Roman Velites/Grosphomachoi
  • 5.6 Arms and Armour of the Velites/Grosphomachoi
    • 5.6.1 The Grosphus Javelin
    • 5.6.2 Gladius Hispaniensis
    • 5.6.3 Parma Shield
    • 5.6.4 Helmet
  • 5.7 Velites/Grosphomachoi at War
  • 5.8 Conclusion on the Velites/Grosphomachoi
• Chapter 6 Elite Light Troops of the Greek and Roman World
  • The Cretan Mercenaries
  • 6.2 Cretan Arms and Armour
    • 6.2.1 The Bow
    • 6.2.2 Shields
    • 6.2.3 Body Armour
    • 6.2.4 Other Equipment
  • 6.3 Cretans at War
  • 6.4 Conclusions on the Cretans
  • Balearic Slingers
  • 6.5 Arms of the Balearics
    • 6.5.1 The Sling
    • 6.5.2 Slingshot
    • 6.5.3 Defensive Equipment and Secondary Weapons
  • 6.6 Balearics at War
  • 6.7 Conclusion on Balearic Slingers
• Chapter 7 Battle Assessment
  • 7.1 Sparta’s Disastrous Defeat at Sphacteria, 425 BC
    • 7.1.1 The Battle of Sphacteria
    • 7.1.2 Battle Assessment
  • 7.2 Antiochus’ Crossing of Mount Labus, 210 BC
    • 7.2.1 The Battle of Mount Labus
    • 7.2.2 Battle Assessment
  • 7.3 The Galatian Campaign, 189 BC – Roman Victory in the Mountains
    • 7.3.1 The Battle of Mount Olympus in Anatolia
    • 7.3.2 The Battle of Ancyra
    • 7.3.3 Battle Assessment
  • 7.4 Conclusion on the Battle Assessments
• Chapter 8 Experimental Archaeology
  • Javelin and Throwing Strap
  • 8.1 Throwing the Javelin with the Ankylē/Amentum Throwing Strap
    • 8.1.1 The Ankylē/Amentum Throwing Strap
    • 8.1.2 Method and Materials
    • 8.1.3 Conclusion on Throwing the Javelin with the Throwing Strap
  • The Sling and Slingshot
  • 8.2 The Lethality and Damage Potential of the Sling
    • 8.2.1 Method and Materials
    • 8.2.2 Calculating the Severity of the Injury through Blunt Criterion (BC) and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)
    • 8.2.3 Projectile Impact upon Armour
    • 8.2.4 Conclusion on the Sling
  • The Bow and Arrow
  • 8.3 Arrowheads: The Cretan Archer vs the Persian Bowman
    • 8.3.1 Materials
    • 8.3.2 Method and Results
    • 8.3.3 Conclusion on the Arrowheads
• Chapter 9 Conclusion
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Plates