Thracian warfare In the 4th century BC, both infantry and cavalry troops started wearing helmets (some of leather) and some peltasts are seen with greaves. Principal weapons in the 4th century BC (as well as earlier) were the spear and short knife. Armor, when it was available (for the nobility), was at first leather or bronze but iron armour started appearing in the 4th century BC. Thracian cavalry would wear leather armor or no armor and would be armed with javelins, a bow, or a spear. Only royal cavalry would wear armor. Oval shields and peltes (even by heavy cavalry) were later
Peltast in Persian as takabara and their shields as "taka". The Persians may have been influenced by Greek and Thracian peltasts. Another alternative source of influence would have been the Anatolian hill tribes, such as the Corduene, Mysians or Pisidians. In Greek sources, these troops were either called peltasts or "peltophoroi" (bearers of pelte). In the Hellenistic period, the Antigonid kings of Macedon had an elite corps of native Macedonian 'Peltasts'. However, this force should not be confused with the skirmishing peltasts discussed earlier. The 'Peltasts' were probably, according to F.W. Walbank, about 3,000 in number, although by the Third Macedonian