Military tribune
Encyclopedia
A military tribune was an officer of the Roman army
who ranked below the legate
and above the centurion
. The tribunus militum should not be confused with the elected political office of tribune of the people
(tribunus plebis
).
of 3,000. By the time of the Greek historian
Polybius
(d. 118 BC), the tribunes numbered six, and they were appointed by the consuls
. However, the process by which tribunes were chosen and assigned is complex and varies at different times.
, there were six appointed to each legion. Authority was given to two at a time, and command rotated among the six. Tribunes were men of Senatorial status appointed by the Senate
. To attain the position of tribune, one only needed to be a member of the ruling class — ability was not taken into account.
Additionally, in the early Republic, military tribunes were sometimes chosen in place of the annually elected consul
s to be the heads of the Roman State and were sometimes elected to represent the Plebians. These are known in Latin as tribuni militum consulari potestate
, "Military Tribunes with Consular Authority." Instead of the usual two consuls, between four and six military tribunes were elected for the year. The reasons for this choice are obscure, though Livy
often cast the decision according to the class struggles he saw as endemic during this period, with patricians generally favoring consuls and plebs
the military tribunes. The office eventually fell out of use after 366 BC.
created a professional system, legions were commanded by a legionary legate (legatus
). Six tribunes were still posted to a legion, but their duties and responsibilities had changed, becoming more a political position than a military rank. The second in command to the legate was the tribunus laticlavius
, a young man of Senatorial rank. He was given this position to learn and watch the actions of the legate. The other five tribunes were slightly lower in rank, and were called the tribuni angusticlavii. These were men of equestrian rank who had military experience.
, the five equestrian tribunes were sometimes promoted from the rank of centurion
, and might advance to a command in the auxiliary cavalry or Praetorian Guard
.
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
who ranked below the legate
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
and above the centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
. The tribunus militum should not be confused with the elected political office of tribune of the people
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
(tribunus plebis
Plebs
The plebs was the general body of free land-owning Roman citizens in Ancient Rome. They were distinct from the higher order of the patricians. A member of the plebs was known as a plebeian...
).
Early Rome
The word tribunus derives from tribus, "tribe." In Rome's earliest history, each of the three tribes (Ramnes, Luceres, and Tities) sent one commander when an army was mustered, since there was no standing army. The tribunes were commanders of the original legionRoman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
of 3,000. By the time of the Greek historian
Greek historiography
The historical period of Ancient Greece is unique in world history as the first period attested directly in proper historiography, while earlier ancient history or proto-history is known by much more circumstantial evidence, such as annals, chronicles, king lists, and pragmatic epigraphy.Herodotus...
Polybius
Polybius
Polybius , Greek ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 220–146 BC in detail. The work describes in part the rise of the Roman Republic and its gradual domination over Greece...
(d. 118 BC), the tribunes numbered six, and they were appointed by the consuls
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
. However, the process by which tribunes were chosen and assigned is complex and varies at different times.
Republican period
In the Republican periodRoman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
, there were six appointed to each legion. Authority was given to two at a time, and command rotated among the six. Tribunes were men of Senatorial status appointed by the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
. To attain the position of tribune, one only needed to be a member of the ruling class — ability was not taken into account.
Additionally, in the early Republic, military tribunes were sometimes chosen in place of the annually elected consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
s to be the heads of the Roman State and were sometimes elected to represent the Plebians. These are known in Latin as tribuni militum consulari potestate
Tribuni militum consulari potestate
The tribuni militum consulari potestate , in English commonly also Consular Tribunes, were tribunes elected with consular power during the "Conflict of the Orders" in the Roman Republic, starting in 444 BC and then continuously from 408 BC to 394 BC and again from 391 BC to 367 BC.According to the...
, "Military Tribunes with Consular Authority." Instead of the usual two consuls, between four and six military tribunes were elected for the year. The reasons for this choice are obscure, though Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
often cast the decision according to the class struggles he saw as endemic during this period, with patricians generally favoring consuls and plebs
Plebs
The plebs was the general body of free land-owning Roman citizens in Ancient Rome. They were distinct from the higher order of the patricians. A member of the plebs was known as a plebeian...
the military tribunes. The office eventually fell out of use after 366 BC.
After the Marian reforms
After the Marian reformsMarian reforms
The Marian reforms of 107 BC were a group of military reforms initiated by Gaius Marius, a statesman and general of the Roman republic.- Roman army before the Marian reforms :...
created a professional system, legions were commanded by a legionary legate (legatus
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
). Six tribunes were still posted to a legion, but their duties and responsibilities had changed, becoming more a political position than a military rank. The second in command to the legate was the tribunus laticlavius
Tribunus Laticlavius
In the Roman army of the late Republic and the Principate, the tribunus laticlavius was one of the six military tribunes in a legion....
, a young man of Senatorial rank. He was given this position to learn and watch the actions of the legate. The other five tribunes were slightly lower in rank, and were called the tribuni angusticlavii. These were men of equestrian rank who had military experience.
Principate
Under AugustusAugustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, the five equestrian tribunes were sometimes promoted from the rank of centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
, and might advance to a command in the auxiliary cavalry or Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
.