I.armor, equipment.
I. A.. Lit.: “armatura varia peditatūs et equitatūs,” Cic. Fam. 7, 1: “cohortes nostrā armaturā,” id. Att. 6, 1: “Numidae levis armaturae,” of light armor, Caes. B. G. 2, 10: “universi generis armatura,” Vulg. 2 Par. 32, 5; ib. Ezech. 26, 9.—
B. Meton. (abstr. pro concr.), armed soldiers; and in class. lang. always with the adj. levis, = velites, light-armed soldiers (opp. gravis armatus). Veg. first used armatura absol. for young troops: “nostrae sunt legiones, nostra levis armatura,” Cic. Phil. 10, 6 fin.: “equites, pedites, levis armatura,” id. Brut. 37, 139: “adsequi cum levi armaturā,” Liv. 27, 48; cf. id. 28, 14; Flor. 4, 2, 49: “equitum triginta, levis armaturae centum milia,” Suet. Caes. 66; Liv. 21, 55; 22, 18: “manipuli levis armaturae,” id. 27, 13: “levis armaturae juvenes,” id. 44, 2 et saep.—
II. Trop.
A. Of discourse: haec fuerit nobis, tamquam levis armaturae, prima orationis excursio; “nunc comminus agamus,” Cic. Div. 2, 10, 26. —
B. A kind of exercise in arms, Amm. 14, 11; Veg. 1, 13; 2, 23.—
