Light infantry troops in V c. BCE

[hoplite14gr]

In Sesklo (Neolithic citadel)they found clay covered sling stones.
The clay crashes on impact and has "grenade like" effect.
If you gentlemen think that you can maintain tight formation being pelted with this things think again!
Ligh Infantry is depicted from the Bronze age times.
Mycenean armies were combined arms armies.
In the Geometric era formed armies colapsed to warbands or peltast like units. The phalanx reapears on the Archaic period.
In the war about Lilantio pedio there was an agreement to fight without light troops. Both combatants agreed.

Poorer citizens campaigned as ligh troops.
Light infantry occupies bad going, supports friently troops, screens heavier formations. Its job is not to go into pitched battle with cavalry or heavy troops.
Greece is bad going tarrain country and light infantry can wreck havoc.
Demosthenis in Akarnania in the Peloponessian war is a good example.
Athenian light infantry in Mantinea is another.
Pausanias also mentiones that Locrians and Phoceans "emachonto peltastikos". To ancient Greeks this term meant light infantry tactics.

In modern armies not all troops ride tanks or airplains. Comandos are the modern light infantry.

Ligh infantry's main weapon is the terrain not the javelin or bow.
Shall I mention Teutoburger forest?!!

If light troops are so inferior why the hoplites had to convert to ekdromoi to deal with them? Why all successfull armies developed good light infantry formations?