Peltast more readily available to poorer members of society. The Athenian general Iphicrates destroyed a Spartan phalanx in the Battle of Lechaeum in 390 BCE, using mostly peltasts. In the account of Diodorus Siculus, Iphicrates is credited with re-arming his men with long spears, perhaps in around 374 BCE. This reform may have produced a type of "peltast" armed with a small shield, a sword, and a spear instead of javelins. Some authorities, such as J.G.P. Best, state that these later "peltasts" were not truly peltasts in the traditional sense, but lightly armored hoplites carrying the "pelte" shield in conjunction with
Greek units of measurement Greek units of measurement A number of units of measurement were used in Greece to measure length, mass, area, and capacity. In Greece, the metric system has been used since 1836 and was made compulsory in 1922. One "piki" varied from 0.640 m to 0.670 m. 1 "pic" was equal to 1 piki. The "small piki" of Constantinople (also known as the "endeze") was equal to 0.648 m The "large piki" of Constantinople (also known as the "arsin") was equal to 0.669 m A masonry "piki" (also known as the "meimar zire") was equal to 0.750 m. Two types of