However, thrusting spears are included on some illustrations of peltasts before the time of Iphicrates and some peltasts may have carried them as well as javelins rather than as a replacement for them. 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 longer spears-a combination that has been interpreted as a direct ancestor to the Macedonian phalanx. This reform may have produced a type of " peltast" armed with a small shield, a sword, and a spear instead of javelins. In the account of Diodorus Siculus, Iphicrates is credited with re-arming his men with long spears, perhaps in around 374 BC. The Athenian general Iphicrates destroyed a Spartan phalanx in the Battle of Lechaeum in 390 BC, using mostly peltasts. Their equipment was less expensive than that of traditional hoplites and would have been more readily available to poorer members of society. Peltasts became the main type of Greek mercenary infantry in the 4th century BC. They are equipped with the exomis, the pilos with crest and cheekpiece, and the round pelte shield, thrusting overarm with a spear.
When faced with a charge from the Persian cavalry, they opened their ranks and allowed the cavalry through while striking them with swords and hurling javelins at them. Xenophon's description makes it clear that these peltasts were armed with swords, as well as javelins, but not with spears. The Greeks opened their ranks (to allow the Persian cavalry through) and proceeded to deal blows (with swords) and throw javelins at them as they went through. However he did not kill a single man as he passed through. Tissaphernes had not fled at the first charge (by the Greek troops), but had instead charged along the river through the Greek peltasts. Xenophon, in the Anabasis, describes peltasts in action against Persian cavalry at the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 BC, where they were serving as part of the mercenary force of Cyrus the Younger. Peltasts gradually became more important in Greek warfare, in particular during the Peloponnesian War. Often, the mythical Amazons (women warriors) are shown with peltast equipment. Some vases have also been found showing hoplites (men wearing Corinthian helmets, greaves and cuirasses, holding hoplite spears) carrying peltes. However, many mercenary peltasts were probably recruited in Greece. They also usually wore patterned tunics, fawnskin boots and long cloaks, called zeiras, decorated with a bright, geometric, pattern. They are generally depicted on vases and in other images as wearing the typical Thracian costume, which includes the distinctive Phrygian cap made of fox-skin and with ear flaps. The style of fighting used by peltasts originated in Thrace, and the first Greek peltasts were recruited from the Greek cities of the Thracian coast. In the Archaic period, the Greek martial tradition had been focused almost exclusively on the heavy infantry, or hoplites. A peltast with the whole of his panoply (on a red-figure kylix)
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