A peltast was a type of light infantryman, originating in Thrace and Paeonia, and named after the kind of shield he carried. Thucydides mentions the Thracian peltasts, while Xenophon in the Anabasis distinguishes the Thracian and Greek peltast troops.

What was a Peltast and how did this style of fighting change Greek warfare in the 4th century BCE?

Peltasts became the main type of Greek mercenary infantry in the 4th century BCE. Their equipment was less expensive than that of traditional hoplites and would have been more readily available to poorer members of society.

What does pelta mean?

1 : a small light shield used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. 2 [New Latin, from Latin] : a body of unknown function found in association with the blepharoplast of a flagellate.