Peltast Anatolia and several contingents armed like this appeared in Xerxes I's army that invaded Greece in 480 BCE. For example, the Paphlagonians and Phrygians wore wicker helmets and native boots reaching halfway to the knee. They carried small shields, short spears, javelins and daggers. From the mid 5th century BCE onwards, peltast soldiers began to appear in Greek depictions of Persian troops. They were equipped like Greek and Thracian peltasts, but were dressed in typically Persian army uniforms. They often carried a light axe, known as a sagaris, as a sidearm. It has been suggested that these troops were known
Thracian language by ancient sources considered explicitly of Thracian origin and known meaning An additional 180 Thracian words have been reconstructed. The proposed Thracian words in the Ancient Greek lexicon are not numerous. They include the "parth-" element in Parthenon; "balios" ("dappled"; < PIE "*bhel-", "to shine", Bul. "bel/bial" (бял) "white" or "bljaskav" 'bright, shiny'; Pokorny also cites Illyrian as a possible source, the non-Greek origin is argued on phonological grounds), "bounos", "hill, mound". The Thracian horseman hero was an important figure in Thracian religion, mythology, and culture. Depictions of the Thracian Horseman are found in numerous archaeological remains and artifacts from