Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898)

---

Veru

---

1.

ὀβελός. A spit used for roasting meat (Varro, L. L. v. 127). It was often made of wood (Plin. H. N. xxx. 37; Georg. ii. 396; Ovid, Fast. ii. 363), sharpened at the point, so as to be driven through the meat (Thyest. 1063; Verg. Aen. i. 212), and placed over the fire (id. Verg. Aen. v. 103), and probably turned by the hand upon fire-dogs or andirons (varae). See Vara.

---

2.

（σαύνιον.) A missile weapon (Verg. Aen. vii. 665), adopted from the Samnites by the light infantry of the Romans. It had a sharp, round, iron point, like the spit after which it was named (Festus, s. v. “Samnites”).