Thureophoroi

Thureophoroi
"Like the shield? Fits my hand like a glove. Go on, give her a try!"

Thureophoroi are a unique infantry unit for the Blemmyes faction.

Unit Information
Thureophoroi are light, fast, and able skirmishers in addition to being well-trained spearmen. Their large thureos shields afford them a great deal of protection from missiles, and they can exchange fire with dedicated missile units - though in comparison their javelins amount to little more than harassment.

History
Thureophoroi were a class of soldier in ancient Greece named as such for their shields - the aforementioned thureos, which was both lighter and larger than the tradition hoplon. Thureophoroi were used as an intermediate force between skirmishers and the main battle line - enough to back up the light infantry, but not so well-armed as to engage the enemy on their own.