Toxotai

Herakles wielding a bow

Toxotai (Greek: Τοξόται, "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.

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[1] 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.