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In the Osprey Elite Series book,"The Ancient Greeks", on plate J, a peltast has a small round bronze pelta. What proof do we have of this..? It seems it would be somewhat heavy compared to the standard pelta. Again, what proof do we have...
Thanks,
Johnny
Johnny Shumate
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To me, I think MANY of the "Osprey" books, having SERIOUS INACCURATE illustrations.
Or, if not innaccurate, TOO "SIMPLEFIED"!
I don't think so; there wasn't a bronze "Pelte"...
But, Stefanos is the MOST right person to ask about. More experienced than me...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
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Small shields appear in pottery and grave stelle but there is not clear what they were made off.
The Macedonians called the small phalangite shield pelta. So some people interprete this as a propability for a similar southern Greek shield.
For the poorer Greeks that formed the bulk of the light troops bronze would be most probably out of their means.
Kind regards
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Quote:Small shields appear in pottery and grave stelle but there is not clear what they were made off.
The Macedonians called the small phalangite shield pelta. So some people interprete this as a propability for a similar southern Greek shield.
For the poorer Greeks that formed the bulk of the light troops bronze would be most probably out of their means.
Kind regards
I agree, dear Stefane.
Is it true, that ALL Hellenes "Psiloi" were fully unprotected, worn only a thin/simple tunic, NO armor or shields (even "Pelte") and they just had a band of javelins or they had slingers or simple rocks?
And after the... "nice contacts" with the Thracians, Hellenes "adopted" that tiny type of shield - "Pelte", they used it and so... "Peltastai" were "born"?
Regards...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
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So, is it reasonable to assume that the crescent-shaped pelta was not made of bronze? I had always thought of that shield as being wicker. By the by, have any remains of the crescentic pelta ever been found?
Felix Wang
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No known remains yet.
Both wicker and laether layers are plausible.
Psiloi would protect themselves with skins or wicker shields.
There is pottery in British meuseum shoein club armed psiloi with pelta.
Kind regards
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Stefanos,
I would love to see those pics, got any..?
I think you know by now my favorite Greek warriors are the Psiloi and Peltast..!
Thanks,
Johnny
Johnny Shumate
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Thanks for the link..!
Anyway to make the pics bigger..? Maybe they won't allow you...
Johnny
Johnny Shumate
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Plese give me some time when I come back home, I have a bigger version but I cannot access it from here.
Kind regards
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Quote:And after the... "nice contacts" with the Thracians, Hellenes "adopted" that tiny type of shield - "Pelte", they used it and so... "Peltastai" were "born"?
Dear Stefane, you didn't tell me about that wonder of mine... Can you enlighten this, please? I mean, WHEN the "Peltast" were born and from which event?
Regards...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -