Velites were a class of light infantry in the Roman Republic. They played an important role in the early Roman army and were known for their mobility and versatility on the battlefield. They were the youngest and poorest soldiers of the legion.
The Indo-European kóryos
In Indo-European cultures, it was a common practice for a group of young men in their teenage years through adolescence to participate in a war band (kóryos). The men had not yet built up wealth or influence and still had to prove themselves. These small groups often formed a cult in which a god was central and represented itself through the wolf, the boar, or the bear. Examples of this can be found throughout Indo-European cultures, such as the Germanic Berserkers, the Celtic Fianna, the Roman Velites, and the Spartan Crypteia.
The animals represented their cunning, strength, and aggression. After undergoing painful ordeals to enter the group, they were sent off to live as landless warriors in the wild for a number of years. Within the group, which varied from two to twelve members, lawless actions such as nighttime raids and cattle theft were common. The young men had no other possessions than their weapons and lived on the edge of society and on what nature provided them. Their life revolved around fighting, hunting wild game, and plundering settlements on one hand; and reciting heroic tales that told of the deeds of heroes from the past and legends of cattle theft on the other.
The initiation period within the kóryos was seen as a transitional phase preceding the status of an adult warrior and was usually crowned by participation in the tribe or city-state. The kóryos were symbolically associated with death and liminality, but also with fertility and sexual licentiousness. The war bands believed in symbolic shapeshifting. Hence why wolves or bears were fought as. They no longer fought as men, but as wolves. Their ideal fighting technique was attributed the properties of the wolf: violence, deception, speed, great strength, and warrior's rage.
The velites
One of the most important tactics of Velites was a hit-and-run style of warfare. They would advance quickly, hurl their spears at the enemy, and then withdraw to avoid direct confrontation. This intimidation could disrupt the enemy formation and weaken their forces before the main infantry lines would collide with each other. This way they could even fight against war elephants.
Velites were often deployed at the beginning of a battle to conduct brief, quick skirmishes with the enemy and observe the movements of the heavier Roman infantry and cavalry. As the battle progressed, the velites would withdraw and make way for the more heavily armored and organized maniples of the Roman legion.
Over time, as the Roman army evolved, the role of velites declined. After the so-called Marian Reforms in 107 BC, they were disbanded.
Veles composition
Tunic
The veles wore a simple tunic. It is not known what color the tunic was, though it was likely a more neutral color than red.
Caligae
The caligae were the standard sandals worn by Roman legion soldiers and auxiliary troops. The sole consisted of different layers of leather and was approximately 20 mm thick. It was reinforced with nails. The upper layer was made from a single piece of leather and sewn at the heel. Due to the open design, they could be worn when crossing streams and rivers, and for warmth the soldier could wear socks (udones). Probably caligae were almost never repaired and were immediately discarded once they began to show signs of wear.
Helmet
The Coolus, often called a Hagenau-type helmet in German, is a type of ancient Roman helmet used by the Roman army during the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It is named after the place of its first discovery, Coolus, a town in northeastern France. These helmets were in use from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD.
The helmet was usually made of bronze, although some were made of iron. It consisted of a bowl-shaped skullcap with a forehead guard, neck guard, and cheek flaps. Often there was a crest knob present, to which the wearer could attach a plume.
Often the velites wore leather helmets, or no helmet at all, because they couldn't afford them.
Animal hide
The velites adorned themselves with predator hides, such as those of wolves or bears, which they wore over their heads. This was a symbol of their courage and bravery in battle. We have replaced these with a deer hide.
Shield: parma
The veles was also equipped with a small round shield, a parma. The helmet and parma were the only form of protection the veles wore.
In these photos we use an old and battered round shield with the shield boss removed.
However, we also offer a replica parma.
Throwing spears: hastae velitares / veruta
The velites carried 5 to 7 light spears or throwing spears. They were considerably shorter than the well-known pilum and were perfect for quick combat.
