Hasta pura (military decoration)

[7][8] Tacitus records a hasta pura being given as a decoration, bestowed upon a soldier for saving the life of a fellow-citizen: In this engagement Rufus Helvius, a common soldier, won the honour of saving a citizen's life, and was rewarded by Apronius with a torc and a spear.

To these the emperor added the civic crown, complaining, but without anger, that Apronius had not used his right as proconsul to bestow this further distinction.

[11] The hasta pura was also recorded as being given to the primus pilus when he had completed his period of service.

The main evidence in support of this conjecture is that representations on some coins show a blunt spear.

[12] The hasta pura is mentioned in the second part of the Claudius novels by Robert Graves.