Prodromoi

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.

They have been featured in the video games Age of Mythology and Age of Empires Online, acting as the primary cavalry of the Greeks in both appearances.

Prodromoi is also a term used in Christian Theology referring to those images in the old testament considered to be a foreshadowing of the new testament (hence the "precursors"), especially those considered to be a foreshadowing of Christ (Adam, David, Isaac, etc.). See also Typology.