The Thessalians were known for being raiders, and "barbarians" to the other greeks, particularlly in the Mycenaean period of Greece when they pestered undefended towns in greece when the Mycenaeans were off fighting Minoans, Trojans, and later the Hittites and Egypt as the Sea Peoples. The Thessalians later became a major part of the Macedonian and Hellenic armies as part of light Shock cavalry or general greek cavalry.