To provide a method and equipment to roll a thin wire material through high efficient and accurate tandem rolling.

In rolling of a thin wire material to obtain a wire of a round section by arranging in tandem multiple two-way roll former stands 10 and 20 and single or multiple four-way roll latter stands 30, the wire section in the pass of the former stands 10 and 20 is made octagonal and the dimensional ratio between opposite vertical and horizontal sides of the section is made to be 1.05 to 1.30. The reduction of area of the first stand 31 of the latter stands 30 is made to be 30% or less and that of the final finishing stand 32 is 10% or less. In case of hot rolling, heating means 6 and 7 are provided before the tandem row of the former stands 10 and 20 and at the midway so as to reheat the wire while it is rolled. The heating temperature is such that the wire is not substantially quanched/hardened when it is cooled.