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
Jan Best Jan Best Jan Gijsbert Pieter Best (born 29 August 1941, Grou) is a Dutch pre- and protohistorian, comparative linguist, archaeologist, and author. For about 30 years, he was a Professor at the University of Amsterdam, where he taught ancient history, and Mediterranean prehistory and protohistory. In 1966, Best passed his graduate examinations in Classical Languages, achieving a major in Ancient History, along with minors in Greek and Latin. In 1969, he attained the doctorate with his thesis "Thracian Peltasts and their Influence on Greek Warfare". Afterwards, he succeeded in his graduate examination in Archaeology, with a major in Cultural Pre-