Army of Iphicrates

[Johnny Shumate]

What are some good sources about his army. I think Diodorus is the main historian. The Argive shield was replaced with a peltai and the spears/swords were lengthened. What else...?
Johnny

[hoplite14gr]

Another speculation is that a a spear was added to the javelines or a longer javelin that would enable them to resist cavalry.
The pelti was not neccesarily cresent type like the Thracians but round like the later Macedonian shield an people speculate that the oval type thyreos started appearing at that time.
Possibly also a type of boot like the thracian but without flaps.
Connoly reconstrcts "open toes" type but a closed type is not unlikely based on Hermes and Perseus period images on potery and coinage.
Hope I helped.
Kind regards
Stefanos

[Johnny Shumate]

Hoplite14,
Thanks, this helps a lot.
I've always wondered about the "leggings". You think it was a high boot instead of a lightweight greave..?
Thanks again,
Johnny
PS- Is there a Connolly illustration somewhere..?

[hoplite14gr]

Connoly illustration I think is in "Warfare in the classical world".
If you pass endless hours studing pottery pictures you will see that some greaves are without details and people speculate that they might be like linothorax. Certainly hardened cloth grieves existed in the bronze age.
They might have not been dissapearing entirely in the classic times, as they might be cheaper in construction.
A type of boot apears clearly on a pottery piece photo in Osprey´s "Ancient Greeks" and has been reconstructed in "The Spartan Army".
Greeks were aware of the Thracian and Skythian boots. Usually were associated with horsemen so Ifikrates was responsible for making them infantry issue. Certainly their more practical for troops than "carbatinae covered" wollen shocks. A reconstucted carbatina existed in Togamans site.
On the "winds monument" in Fillopapou-Athens one of the personified winds is depicted with boot that don´t have flaps.
Goat wool shocks are water proof and they were standard issu in the Balkan armies until mid 20th century.
My opinion is that Ifikrates used the more expensive boots rather carbatinae as a unit symbol and moral booster or as incentive since he started professionalize the up to that time citizen militia.
Remeber boot initialy were priviledge of upper class horsemen.
Kind regards
Stefanos

[Philhellene]

What are some good sources about his army. I think Diodorus is the main historian. The Argive shield was replaced with a peltai and the spears/swords were lengthened. What else...?
Johnny

I think "The Greek history" of Xenophon is a good source as well. Moreover he`s eye-witness and contemporary of IV century BC events