Toxotai
Appearance
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Toxotai (Template:Lang-el, "archers"; plural form of Toxotes, τοξότης) were Greek archers armed with a short Greek bow and a short sword. They carried a little pelte (or pelta) (Greek: πέλτη) shield. Cretan Greek archers used nearly the same type of equipment except that they used a long bow.
"Hippo-toxotai" were mounted archers and rode ahead of the cavalry.
The name Toxotes was used to describe the mythic Sagittarius, a legendary creature thought to be a centaur.[1]
References
- ^ Stephen Trzaskoma, R. Scott Smith, Stephen Brunet, and Thomas G. Palaima. Anthology of Classical Myth: Primary Sources in Translation. Hackett Publishing: 2004, ISBN 0-87220-721-8, p. 106.