08-12-2016, 06:11 PM
The Ennius reference was for the 2nd Punic War period, long after the Hasta had abandoned the hasta spear. That at some point Hastati carried an actual spear is probable, though since hasta also refers to javelins (per Livy and Pliny), Hastati could have been named for the javelins they threw. There is no way to be sure.