In ancient Roman military organization, the youngest and poorest-armed soldiers of the heavy infantry, positioned in the front ranks of battle.
From Latin 'hasta' (spear) and the Roman military designation for spear-bearers. The term preserved the Roman military structure in historical terminology.
The hastati were essentially ancient Rome's equivalent of front-line infantry—their name literally means 'spear-men,' and they were expendable troops made of younger, less wealthy soldiers. Understanding hastati illuminates how Roman armies were structured by class and wealth, not just combat skill.
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