Hastati (sg.: hastatus) were a class of infantry employed in the armies of the early Roman Republic, who originally fought as spearmen and later as swordsmen. These soldiers were the staple unit after Rome threw off Etruscan rule. They were originally some of the poorest men in the legion, and could afford only modest equipment—light chainmail and other miscellaneous equipment. The Senate supplied their soldiers with only a short stabbing sword, the gladius, and their distinctive squared shield, the scutum. The hastatus was typically equipped with these, and one or two soft iron tipped throwing spears called pila. This doubled their effectiveness, not only as a strong leading edge to their maniple, but also as a stand-alone missile troop. Later, the hastati contained the younger men rather than just the poorer, though most men of their age were relatively poor. Their usual position was the first battle line. They fought in a quincunx formation, supported by lighter infantry. The enemy was allowed to penetrate the first battle line consisting of hastati, after which the enemy would deal with the more hardened, seasoned soldiers, the principes. They were eventually disbanded after the so-called "Marian reforms" of 107 BC.
Hastati (sg.: hastatus) were a class of infantry employed in the armies of the early Roman Republic, who originally fought as spearmen and later as swordsmen...
the advance of the hastati. If the hastati failed to break the enemy, they would fall back on the principes, who along with the hastati, had been re-equipped...
the pre-Marian Roman Republic included the hastati, principes, and triarii (although depending how the hastati were armed and armored, they could also be...
than the hastati, and having more experience on the battlefield, they would take up the second line in the battle in the event the Hastati failed or...
the hastati. Both Bahmanyar and Goldsworthy suggest this was an opportunity for the Carthaginian third line to counter-attack the disorganised hastati, but...
Hastatis auricollis is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Buquet in 1857. It is known from Brazil. BioLib.cz - Hastatis...
form their own units; a number of them were attached to each maniple of hastati, principes and triarii. They were typically used as a screening force,...
Hastatis femoralis is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Hermann Burmeister in 1865. It is known from Argentina. BioLib...
The forward principes (forward principal line) The rear hastati (rear spears) The forward hastati (forward spears) The titles of the centuriae and thus...
Hastatis denticollis is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Buquet in 1857. It is known from Brazil. BioLib.cz - Hastatis...
Hastatis is a genus of longhorn beetles of the subfamily Lamiinae. Hastatis auricollis Buquet, 1857 Hastatis denticollis Buquet, 1857 Hastatis femoralis...
Hastatis simplicis is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Galileo and Martins in 1990. It is known from Brazil. BioLib...
the enemy with javelin fire to cover the advance of the hastati, light spearmen. If the hastati failed to break the enemy during their engagement, they...
based on the three heavy infantry types: The first line maniple were the hastati, infantry soldiers who wore a bronze breastplate and a bronze helmet and...
Principes. Hastatus Prior – A centurion commanding a manipulus or centuria of hastati. A high-ranking officer within a manipulus or centuria. Hastatus Posterior...
types they did not form their own units, but were assigned to units of hastati – heavier sword-armed troops. Their primary purpose on the battlefield...
armed with hastae, the hastati and the principes were rearmed with short swords and heavy javelins. Each soldier from the hastati and principes lines carried...
the maniple system, which would divide the Roman army into three units, hastati, principes, and triarii. Later, in 107 BCE, Marius would institute the...
heavy infantry, and despite their superior arms the hastati could not break them. Eventually, the hastati were rotated back, the more experienced principes...
the legions were kept. The reverse shows an aquila between two standards, inscribed H for Hastati and P for Principes, and the names of the consuls....
acies) based on the three heavy infantry types of hastati, principes and triarii. The first type, the hastati, typically formed the first rank in battle formation...
skirmishing purposes, unlike the heavier pilum, which was used by the hastati and principes for weakening the enemy before advancing into close combat...
consisted of five sections: the three lines of manipular heavy infantry (hastati, principes and triarii), a force of light infantry (velites), and the cavalry...
Look up hastatus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. the singular of hastati, a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally...
they were not part of the line in the same way as triarii, principes and hastati were. They may also have been the light equivalent of the triarii, just...
non-fictional testimonies of their use among Roman light infantry (or hastati) from Polybius up to Vegetius. These greaves are thought to have been mass-produced...