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Hasta (spear)
Encyclopedia
Hasta is a Latin
word meaning spear
. Hastae were carried by early Roman Legionaries, in particular they were carried by and gave their name to those Roman soldiers known as Hastati
. However, during Republican
times, the hastati were re-armed with pila
and gladii
and the hasta was only retained by the triarii
.
As opposed to the pilum, verutum
or lancea
, the hasta was not thrown but used for thrusting.
A spear, as a gymnastic weapon.
As a synonym for the penis.
The Hasta pura was a spear without iron - presumably without the iron tip that was used in combat, or with the tip made of another material - that was awarded as a military decoration.
was called hasta and an auction-room a hastarium.
(Portuguese, Spanish, Italian) and also into Albanian
(heshtë, "spear").
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word meaning spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
. Hastae were carried by early Roman Legionaries, in particular they were carried by and gave their name to those Roman soldiers known as Hastati
Hastati
Hastatii were a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally fought as spearmen, and later as swordsmen. They were originally some of the poorest men in the legion, and could afford only modest equipment — light armour and a large shield, in their service as the...
. However, during Republican
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
times, the hastati were re-armed with pila
Pilum
The pilum was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about two metres long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm in diameter and 60 cm long with pyramidal head...
and gladii
Gladius
Gladius was the Latin word for sword, and is used to represent the primary sword of Ancient Roman soldiers. Early ancient Roman swords were similar to those used by the Greeks. From the 3rd century BC, the Romans adopted swords similar to those used by the Celtiberians and others during the early...
and the hasta was only retained by the triarii
Triarii
Triarii were one of the elements of the early Roman military Manipular legions of the early Roman Republic . They were the oldest and among the wealthiest men in the army, and could afford good quality equipment. They wore heavy metal armour and carried large shields, their usual position being...
.
As opposed to the pilum, verutum
Verutum
The verutum, or plural veruta was a short javelin used in the Roman army. This javelin was used by the velites for skirmishing unlike the heavier pilum used by the hastati and principes for softening the enemy before advancing into close combat. The verutum's shaft was about 1.1 meters long, much...
or lancea
Lancea
The lancea was the Roman auxiliaries' short javelin. According to the OED, the word originally came from the Iberian Language , also cf longche, the Greek term for lance. On Spike TV's show Deadliest Warrior, the lancea was the Celt's mid-range weapon....
, the hasta was not thrown but used for thrusting.
Description
A hasta was about six and one-half feet (2 m) in length with a shaft generally made from ash, while the head was of iron.Symbolic usage
A little spear with which a bride's hair was parted into locksA spear, as a gymnastic weapon.
As a synonym for the penis.
Hasta pura
- Main article: Hasta pura (military decoration)Hasta pura (military decoration)The Hasta Pura or Hasta Donatica was a decoration for merit, awarded in Ancient Rome. The Roman sources do not concur about the precise character of the decoration. Some call it a decoration for valour, others mention that is has been awarded to civilians....
.
The Hasta pura was a spear without iron - presumably without the iron tip that was used in combat, or with the tip made of another material - that was awarded as a military decoration.
Hastarium
A hasta was also used as a sign that would be conventionally understood in Roman culture as announcing an auction. Hence, an auctionAuction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
was called hasta and an auction-room a hastarium.
Post-Roman era
The Latin word hasta passed in modified form and/or meaning into several Romance languagesRomance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
(Portuguese, Spanish, Italian) and also into Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
(heshtë, "spear").
See also
- Roman military personal equipment