The heavy phalanx did not disappear from the Hellenistic world overnight, but there was a definite move to compliment it with more flexible and mobile fighting forces, made up of light troops and cavalry. Greek armies began to equip their troops with lighter armour and placed greater emphasis on skirmishing and one-on-one combat. They developed the 'thureophoroi' infantryman, a soldier equipped with the oval thureos shield - thought to be modelled on the Roman scutum. More mobile than a hoplite, these men could protect and reinforce the phalanx, attack an enemy from the flanks and generally bridge the gap between the heavy spearman and the light peltast skirmisher.
