Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Velites

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

VE'LITES (γροσφομάχοι). The skirmishers or light-armed infantry of the Roman armies, who did not form part of the regular legion, nor occupy a fixed position in the battle array, but fought in scattered parties amongst the cavalry or infantry, wherever their services were required. They had no body armour beyond a scull-cap of leather, without a ridge-piece (galea, cudo), but were provided with a round shield (parma), a short Spanish sword (gladius Hispaniensis), and several spears with light shafts and very long acuminated blades (hasta velitaris), intended to be used as missiles, but not fitted for stationary combat. (Liv. xxxviii. 21. xxx. 33. Polyb. vi. 22.) The example (Velites/1.1), from the arch of Septimius Severus, combines all these peculiarities with the exception of the missile, an object frequently omitted in sculpture on account of the difficulty it presents in execution, and its unpicturesque effect; but the character of its blade may be seen by referring to the illustration s. HASTA, 4.

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  Velites/1.1