Ifikrates was an Athenian general during the hegemony of Thebes, but most of all somebody who was not afraid of changes. He noticed the power of the peltasts at an early stage and managed to break down a Spartan phalanx with a group of peltasts during the battle of Lechaeum. The outcome of this battle proved that the peltasts could indeed form a serious threat to a group of hoplites, mostly because of their manoeuvrability and speed.

Changes made by Ifikrates.

He changed the traditional outfit of an hoplite to give him more chance while he is in combat with an peltast. The hoplite had superior armour and weaponry, but he was so heavy because of all this that he was really slow on the battlefield. Ifikrates believed that he had to find a proper balance between both aspects. He changed the panoplia of the hoplites in such a way that they were not so heavy any more.

The picture gives an impression of such a new hoplite. The large, heavy and in bronze covered hoplon is replaced by a smaller shield which is covered with leather. His metal grieves are removed, and now he is only wearing leather sandals which became known as Ifikratids. His cuirass is made of linen instead of multiple heavy layers. This cuirass became very much used as time passed on. Ploetarchus tells us that Alexander the Great wore one of these during the battle of Gaugamela. The head is the only part of the body of the hoplite which is protected as well as with the more traditional panoplia. This soldier is wearing the latest type of the Thracian helmet which had openings for the ears.

The panoplia of the hoplite is now much lighter, but he also had much less protection. That is why the length of his spear is increased to 3.6 metres (!) so that he could attack hostile hoplites before he was in the reach of their traditional spears. This new panoplia proved to be effective but nevertheless did it never manage to replace the traditional panoplia. The Greek warriors valued armour most likely higher than speed.

The new peltast.