g for Livius.Org, 2005) formation, which evolved because of the development of the hoplon. The phalanx consisted of hoplites in a very close rectangular formation, several ranks deep. The hoplites, being very resilient, or well-protected, due to their armor, along with their close phalanx formation, made a fairly tough, unmovable, and threatening group of soldiers. Some typical battle styles of the early Greeks involved melee, or hand-to-hand combat, as well as missile or ranged combat.
             The idea of the phalanx formation is mentioned in the Iliad long before neither the hoplite nor the hoplon, "his words filled every one of them with daring, and the ranks dressed closer when they heard their prince. Their helmets and their bossed shields were as tightly packed as the blocks of stone that a mason fits together when he is building the wall of a high house and wishes to make sure of keeping out the wind. They stood so close together, shield to shield, helmet to helmet, man to man, that when they moved their heads the glittering peaks of their plumed helmets met." (The Iliad, 16.210-218)
             There were other breeds of somewhat lightly-armored troops among the Greeks that were involved in warfare. Lightly armored troops were a major part of the ancient Greek warfare. They were used as close range fighters to maneuver quickly and to attack other light armored troops. These soldiers were positioned in the front lines of the battle field and usually were the first to die. Another type of a Greek soldier was the peltast (named after his shield the pelte). Peltasts wore only their shield for protection and used long thrusting spears, short javelins, daggers and swords. These peltasts were placed in formation between the light infantry and the hoplites.
             Peltasts were used for mobility, both running in and out of battle field. Their job was to maneuver in front ...