Who Commanded the Velites?

[ValentinianVictrix]

Do the Velites actually need anyone to be actually in command with them whilst they were out skirmishing? I would say they had a precisely defined role and that they all knew what they were supposed to do. Their main role on the battlefield would have been to screen their heavy infantry deployment and prevent anyone disrupting this deployment. Once the troops were fully deployed the velites would retire behind the lines and then probably took no further part in the battle other to join in the pursuit of the enemy once they were broken.