Other offensive weapons used were bows, maces, axes, slings and javelins. They carried small shields, short spears, javelins and daggers. Archers were frequently protected by infantry equipped with shields, javelins, and longswords. Skirmishers acting as light infantry carried either slings or javelins. In contrast, the heavier Iberian peninsular cavalry carried round shields, swords, javelins and thrusting spears. Infantrymen and cavalrymen carried spears for thrusting and javelins for throwing. They hunted with spears, javelins, and spear-throwers. Lightly equipped velites acted as skirmishers armed with light javelins. The phalanx of spearmen was replaced by ranks of sword-fighters armed with javelins. Matured hoplites did not carry long-range weapons including javelins. One was the greater use of peltasts, light infantry armed with spear and javelins. The Thracians fought as peltasts using javelins and crescent or round wicker shields. The Thracians deployed in their ancestral wedge formations and were armed with javelins and swords. Behind them would have been axemen and men with javelins as well as archers. The infantry could also use javelins and long spears.