Promachos

In ancient Greece and during the Byzantine era, the Promachoi (singular: Promachos; Greek: πρόμαχος) were the men fighting in the first rank of the phalanx.

[1][2] The word can also be used as an adjective as in "promachos line"[3] referring to the first line of battle.

The first use of the word is recorded in Homer's Iliad.

[4][5] An obsolete English literal translation of promachos is forefighter, in Dutch voorvechter.