Dominate-era hastatus
The spearman is a principal impression for late Roman infantry reenactment. “Hastatus” is used here for a soldier equipped with a spear and shield. It does not mean that all fourth-century heavy infantry had one official designation or reproduced Republican hastati organisation.
Equipment could include a spatha, javelins, plumbatae, a helmet, mail or scale armour. Arm and leg protection is attested but was not compulsory for every soldier. Formation composition and depth depended on the task. Vegetius’s recommendations, which also draw on older material, do not establish an unchanging six-rank formation for every late Roman unit.
Roman soldier with sword and javelins, image from a fresco of the catacombs of Via Latina, Italy, IV century CE.
Roman soldier with hasta, an image from a fresco from the catacombs of Via Maria, Sicily. IV century CEEquipment
The equipment of the Dominate-era hastatus could consist of the following elements: Fabric and leather items: - Sleeved outer tunic (tunica manicata), made of wool - Sleeved undertunic, made of linen - Pannonian cap (pileus pannonicus) - Leggings (bracae) - Cloak (sagum or chlamys) - Military boots (campagi militaris) - Cingulum - Focale - Socks - Windings - Subarmalis Elements of protective equipment made of metal and wood: - Helmet (cassis) - Shield - Lorica hamata or Lorica squamata - Ocrea - Hand protection (manica) Elements of offensive weapons: - Hasta - Spatha - Light javelin (lancea) - Heavy javelin (spiculum) - Plumbata Other elements: - Clasp (fibula) - Bag The hastatus' set may not consist of all the items of equipment mentioned above. The distribution of weapons and armour should follow the evidence for a particular impression, not an assumed universal rule for the third rank.
Reconstruction of the Dominate-era hastatus setReconstruction
A starting reenactment kit can include a tunic, footwear, military belt, shield and spear. Helmet and armour should follow a specific date and prototype. A red woollen tunic and white linen undertunic may be a club choice, but were not a universal late Roman uniform. Cloak, headgear and other details should also match the chosen period and region.
Related topics
Literature and sources
1) The Roman Army in the IV century. From Constantine to Theodosius. A.V. Bannikov 2) Armies of the Late Roman Empire. AD 284 to 476. History, Organization and Equipment. G. Esposito 3) De Re Militari. Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus 4) Rerum Gestarum. Ammianus Marcellinus
Roman soldier with hasta and spatha with baldric, Schlossmuseum Linz. III century CE
Roman soldiers with hastas, Chiaramonti Museum, Vatican City. IV century CE
Roman soldiers with hastas, illustration from the manuscript Vergilius Vaticanus, IV-V centuries CE
Roman soldier with spatha and pilum Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
