Thorakitai Hoplitai are an elite among Greek soldiery, carefully selected and given the best training to make them superior spearmen.

Superior
Hardy
Sapping Ability

Some Hoplitai were able to afford better equipment and devote more time to warfare. Much of their equipment is similar to the less wealthy Hoplitai, with one exception. They were often armored in mail, which gave them better protection against most weapons in relation to the linothorax and leather used by other Hoplitai. The Thorakitai Hoplitai are among the best infantry in the world, if tactically inflexible due to the slowness of movement of an armored phalanx.

Historically, the Thorakitai Hoplitai (heavy hoplites) were the elite of most Hellenic armies, and tended to make up only a small percentage of the forces in the army. They were often deployed on the right flank of a Hellenic phalanx because the right side was more vulnerable than the left in phalanx combat. A hoplite was armed with his shield on his left arm and his spear gripped in his right one. Because of this the left side of a phalanx formation was naturally less vulnerable and the best soldiers were placed on the right flank with the logic being that elite troops would fight longer in dangerous situations than green or more poorly equipped soldiers. The Thorakitai Hoplitai were mostly grizzled mercenary veterans who had amassed enough wealth for higher quality panoplia or wealthy citizens who had a penchant for warfare. They were almost never used against the Romaioi because the Hellenikai poleis mainly accepted Romaios hegemony without serious struggle. The exception was Korinthos, whose Thorakitai Hoplitai broke the Romaioi left flank during the battle for the city, but were checked and then promptly cut down by Romaioi legionnaires and Noumidoi mercenaries enveloping them on three sides.