From N.S. Gill,
Your Guide to Ancient / Classical History.
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Definition: Hasta is the Latin word for spear. The hasta was a wooden pole with an iron point. The pole was often made of ash. Sometimes a leather thong was attached to the hasta to help its bearer throw it. In Latin, the thong was called "amentum." There were varieties of hasta -- lancea (lance) and pilum (javelin). Hastati were originally Roman troops armed with the hasta. Later they carried the pilum.