What is "prodromoi"

n. (plural of prodromos English)

In ancient Greece, the Prodromoi (singular: Prodromos) were the skirmisher light cavalry. Their name ( ancient Greek: πρόδρομοι, prοdromoi, lit. "pre-cursors," "runners-before," or "runners-ahead") means "moving before the rest of the army". They were equipped with javelins, argive shields, and cavalry sword. Sometimes they wore either linen or leather armour, as well as bronze helmets. Later, in the Macedonian army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, the prodromoi carried skirmishing equipment for scouting and outpost duties; they were also occasionally brigaded together with the heavy cavalry for a charge, in which case they would have been re-armed with the sarissa and given the epithet sarissophoroi.

The Prodromoi were only part of the cavalry contingent of the Macedonian army, which also included the Companion Cavalry and Thessalian cavalry.