Generally they wear also a coat of mail and sandals, like those of the archer.

They carry swords at their left sides, and the principal attendant, except when he bears the archer's arrows, guards him from attack by holding in advance a short spear.

The archers of this class never kneel, but always discharge their arrows standing.

They seem to be regarded as the most important of the foot-soldiers, their services being more particularly valuable in the siege of fortified places.
The spearmen of this period are scarcely better armed than the second or intermediate class of archers.

Except in very rare instances they have no coat of mail, and their tunic, which is either plain or covered with small squares, barely reaches to the knee.