Notes on the Roman spear (The Verutum)

The verutum, or plural veruti (Latin: spit) was a short javelin used in the Roman army from around 300 BC onwards. During the early Republican period, this javelin was used by the Roman light infantry known as velites who would carry seven veruta into combat, proving to be quite effective weapons, even against war elephants as proven in the battle of Zama (202 BC).

After 107 BCE the verutum would be used by the Auxilliae, local irregular troops who would be used to fulfill the roles of archers and skirmishers. The verutum's shaft was about 1.1 meters long, and its point measured about 13 centimeters long.