roman hasta with shaftThe word "hasta" means spear in Latin. The early Roman legionaries used the hasta. During the republican period, the hasta was replaced on a large scale by the pilum and gladius. The cavalry and auxiliae, however, continued to use the hasta. The pilum was meant to throw from a longer distance, but the hasta was meant for close combat stabbing. It was therefore effective against the cavalry. The hasta was historically made from bronze or iron. This