Military tribune in the context of "Tribune of the plebs"

Play Trivia Questions online!

or

Skip to study material about Military tribune in the context of "Tribune of the plebs"

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Military tribune

A military tribune (from Latin tribunus militum 'tribune of the soldiers') was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the praefectus castrorum (a centurion). Young men of Equestrian rank often served as military tribunes as a stepping stone to the Senate. The tribunus militum should not be confused with the elected political office of tribune of the people (tribunus plebis) nor with that of tribunus militum consulari potestate.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<
In this Dossier

Military tribune in the context of Cato the Elder

Marcus Porcius Cato (/ˈkɑːt/, KAH-toe; 234–149 BC), also known as Cato the Censor (Latin: Censorius), the Elder and the Wise, was a Roman soldier, senator, and historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He was the first to write history in Latin with his Origines, a now fragmentary work on the history of Rome. His work De agri cultura, a treatise on agriculture, rituals, and recipes, is the oldest extant prose written in the Latin language. His epithet "Elder" distinguishes him from his great-grandson Senator Cato the Younger, who opposed Julius Caesar.

He came from an ancient plebeian family who were noted for their military service. Like his forefathers, Cato was devoted to agriculture when not serving in the army. Having attracted the attention of Lucius Valerius Flaccus, he was brought to Rome. He was successively military tribune (214 BC), quaestor (204), aedile (199), praetor (198), consul (195) together with Flaccus, and censor (184). As praetor, he expelled usurers from Sardinia. As censor, he tried to save Rome's ancestral customs and combat Hellenistic influences.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Tribune

Tribune (Latin: Tribunus) was the title of various elected officials in ancient Rome. The two most important were the tribunes of the plebs and the military tribunes. For most of Roman history, a college of ten tribunes of the plebs acted as a check on the authority of the senate and the annual magistrates, holding the power of ius intercessionis to intervene on behalf of the plebeians, and veto unfavourable legislation. There were also military tribunes, who commanded portions of the Roman army, subordinate to higher magistrates, such as the consuls and praetors, promagistrates, and their legates. Various officers within the Roman army were also known as tribunes. The title was also used for several other positions and classes in the course of Roman history.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Gnaeus Julius Agricola

Gnaeus Julius Agricola (/əˈɡrɪkələ/; 13 June 40 – 23 August 93) was a Roman general and politician responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. Born to a political family of senatorial rank, Agricola began his military career as a military tribune under governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus. In his subsequent career, he served in a variety of political positions in Rome. In 64, he was appointed quaestor in Asia province. Two years later, he was appointed Plebeian Tribune, and in 68, he was made praetor. During the Year of the Four Emperors in 69, he supported Vespasian, general of the Syrian army, in his bid for the throne.

When Vespasian became emperor, Agricola was made a patrician and appointed governor of Gallia Aquitania. In 77, he was made consul and governor of Britannia. As governor, he completed the conquest of what is today Wales and northern England, and led his army to the far north of Scotland, establishing forts across much of the lowlands. In 85, Agricola was recalled from Britain after an unusually lengthy service by Emperor Domitian. After his return, he retired from military and public life and died in 93. Most of what is known about Agricola and his governorship was written in the De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, a primary source, written by Tacitus, Agricola's son-in-law, and detailed archaeological evidence from northern Britain.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Praefectus castrorum

The praefectus castrorum ("camp prefect") was, in the Roman army of the early Empire, the third most senior staff officer of the Roman legion after the legate (legatus; the commanding officer) and the senior military tribune (tribunus laticlavius; the executive officer), both of whom were from the senatorial class.

The camp prefect was the senior enlisted advisor at a command and quartermaster; responsible for military logistics and requisition (training, equipment procurement and maintenance, and construction of the camp, etc.), acting liaison between the legate and the centurions, but could command the legion whenever the senior commanders were absent. The post was usually held by a soldier promoted from the centurionate, having already served as a chief centurion (primus pilus) of a legion, and was therefore open to ordinary, plebeian citizens. Prefects of this rank, for example Sextus Vibius Gallus, were awarded prizes (dona) to mark their achievements.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Chiliarch

Chiliarch is a military rank dating back to antiquity. Originally denoting the commander of a unit of about one thousand men (a chiliarchy) in the Macedonian army, it was subsequently used as a Greek translation of a Persian officer who functioned as a kind of vizier and of the Roman army's military tribunes. It has subsequently been used for other similar ranks and positions in other armed forces.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Roman soldier

This is a list of Roman army units and bureaucrats.

  • Accensus – Light infantry men in the armies of the early Roman Republic, made up of the poorest men of the army.
  • Actuarius – A soldier charged with distributing pay and provisions.
  • Adiutor – A camp or headquarters adjutant or assistant.
  • Aeneator – Military musician such as a bugler
  • Agrimensor – A surveyor (a type of immunes).
  • Antesignano – Supposedly a light infantry unit of legionaries who were used for protection of marching columns and to provide security to legions.
  • Aquilifer – Bearer of the legionary eagle.
  • Ala – a military formation composed of conscripts from the Italian military allies.
  • Alaris – A cavalryman serving in an ala.
  • Auxilia – were introduced as non-citizen troops attached to the citizen legions by Augustus after his reorganisation of the Imperial Roman army from 30 BC.
  • Architecti – An engineer or artillery constructor.
  • Armicustos – A soldier tasked with the administration and supply of weapons and equipment. A quartermaster.
  • Ballistarius – An artillery operator (a type of immunes).
  • Beneficiarius – A soldier performing an extraordinary task such as military policing or a special assignment.
  • Bucellarii – were formations of escort troops.
  • Bucinator – A trumpeter or bugler.
  • Cacula – Servant or slave of a soldier.
  • Capsarior – A medical orderly.
  • Causarius – A soldier discharged for wounds or other medical reasons.
  • Celeres - A royal guard created by Romulus to guard the King of Rome.
  • Centurion – Officer rank, generally one per 80 soldiers, in charge of a centuria.
  • Clinicus – A medic.
  • Cohors amicorum – Military staff company functioning as suite and bodyguard of a high Roman official.
  • Comes – commanders of comitatenses. The authority of a comes was limited to his assigned territory. This title later evolved to the medieval title of Count.
  • Comes stabuli – An office responsible for the horses and pack animals.
  • Comitatenses – units of the field armies of the late empire. They were the soldiers that replaced the legionaries.
  • Cornicen – A bugler.
  • Doctor – A trainer, subdivisions for everything from weapons to horn blowing.
  • Draconarius – Bearer of a cavalry standard.
  • Decurion – Leader of a troop of cavalry (14-30 men). Not to be confused with decanus.
  • Decanus – Leader of a contubernium (a legionary tent group of 8 men). Elected by the members of the contubernium.
  • DiscensMiles (enlisted soldier) in training for an immunis position.
  • Duplarius – A soldier issued double pay, such as an Optio or a minor cavalry officer as part of a Turma
  • Dux – A general in charge of two or more legions. In the Third Century AD, an officer with a regional command transcending provincial boundaries, responsible directly to the emperor alone, usually appointed on a temporary basis in a grave emergency. In the fourth century AD, an officer in charge of a section of the frontier answering to the Magister Militum. Later developed into the medieval title Duke.
  • Duumviri navales – Two men elected to equip and repair the Roman navy.
  • Equites singulares Augusti – Elite cavalry unit tasked to guard the Roman Emperors. Usually commanded by a tribunus of praetorian rank.
  • Evocatus – "One who is called back." A soldier who had served out his time and obtained his discharge (missio), but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander.
  • Evocatus AugustiPraetorian Guard who had served out his time and obtained his discharge (missio), but had voluntarily enlisted again.
  • EquitesRoman cavalry. Those citizens whose personal wealth was sufficient to own and equip a horse for cavalry, later evolved into a socioeconomic distinction unrelated to military service.
  • Foederati – For groups of "barbarian" mercenaries of various sizes who were typically allowed to settle within the empire after service in the imperial army. Foederati, unlike auxilia which were commanded by Roman officers, and enlisted under the promise of obtaining Roman citizenship after completing their term of service of 20 to 25 years, were enlisted as an entire tribal unit, serving under native commanders, and not eligible to receive citizenship. Originally paid in money, but as the finances of the Late Empire declined, service in exchange for land became the norm. The sack of Rome in the 5th century by Vandals and Ostrogoths were precipitated by the Senate's failure to pay foederati as promised after their military service. The system of land tenure established by the settlement of foederati, whose leaders were granted territories as their personal property, developed into the medieval system of feudalism.
  • Frumentarii – Officials of the Roman Empire during the 2nd and 3rd era. Often used as a Secret Service, mostly operating in uniform.
  • Hastatus – The youngest of the heavy infantry in the pre-Marian armies, who were less well-equipped than the older Principes and Triarii. These formed the first line of battle in front of the Principes.
  • Hastatus Prior – A centurion commanding a manipulus or centuria of hastati. A high-ranking officer within a manipulus or centuria.
  • Hastatus Posterior – A deputy to the hastatus prior
  • Hastiliarius – A weapons instructor.
  • Imaginifer – A standard-bearer carrying the imago – the standard which bore a likeness of the emperor, and, at later dates, his family.
  • Immunes – Soldiers who were "immune" from combat duty and fatigues through having a more specialist role within the army.
  • Jovians and Herculians – A senior palatine units
  • Katepano – A Byzantine military rank or military official.
  • Laeti – was a term used in the late empire to denote communities of foreigners permitted to settle on, and granted land in, imperial territory on condition that they provide recruits for the Roman military.
  • Legatus legionis – A legion commander of senatorial rank; literally the "deputy" of the emperor, who was the titular commander-in-chief.
  • Limitanei – A unit of frontier districts.
  • Legatus pro praetore – Provincial governor of senatorial rank with multiple legions under his command.
  • Legionary – The heavy infantry that was the basic military force of the ancient Roman army in the period of the late Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire.
  • Magister militum - High ranked commander in the late Roman Empire. Equivalent of a general.
  • Medicus – Physician or combat medic. Specializations included surgery (medicus vulnerarius), ophthalmology (medicus ocularius), and also veterinary (medicus veterinarius). At least some held rank equivalent to a centurion.
  • Megas douxCommander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy.
  • Miles or Miles Gregarius – The basic private level foot soldier.
  • Numerus – A unit of foreign allies not integrated into the regular army structure. Later, a unit of border forces.
  • Numerus Batavorum – was a personal, imperial guards unit for the Roman emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (30 BC – AD 68) composed of Germanic soldiers.
  • Optio – One per century as second-in-command to the centurion. Could also fill several other specialized roles on an ad hoc basis.
  • Palatini – were elite units of the late army.
  • Pedites – The infantry of the early army of the Roman kingdom. The majority of the army in this period.
  • Peditatus – A term referring to any infantryman in the Roman Empire.
  • Pilus Prior – Senior centurion of a cohort.
  • Pilus Posterior – Deputy to the pilus prior.
  • Praefectus Castrorum – Camp prefect, third-in-command of the legion, also responsible for maintaining the camp, equipment, and supplies. Usually a former primus pilus.
  • Praefectus Cohortis - Commander of a cohort.
  • Praefectus legionis agens vice legati – Equestrian officer given the command of a legion in the absence of a senatorial legatus. After the removal of senators from military command, the title of a legionary commander. ("...agens vice legati, dropped in later Third Century")
  • Praetorians – A special force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors.
  • Praetorian prefect – Commander of the Praetorians.
  • Primani – was a legio palatina, active in the 4th and 5th century.
  • Primicerius – was a rank junior to the tribunus and senior to the senator.
  • Primus Ordinis – The commanding officer of each centuria in the first cohort with the exception of the first centuria of the cohort.
  • Primus Pilus (literally 'first file' ) – The centurion commanding the first cohort and the senior centurion of the entire Legion.
  • Princeps – Pre-Marian soldier, initially equipped with the Hasta spear, but later with the pilum, these men formed the second line of battle behind the Hastati in the pre-Marian armies. They were also chieftains in Briton like Dumnorix of the Regneses (he was killed by Gaius Salvius Liberalis' soldiers).
  • Princeps Prior – A centurion commanding a century of principes.
  • Princeps Posterior – A deputy to the princeps prior.
  • Principales – A group of ranks, including aquilifer, signifer, optio, and tesserarius. Similar to modern NCOs (Non-commissioned officers).
  • Protectores Augusti Nostri (a.k.a. Protectores Divini Lateris) – Honorific title for senior officers singled out for their loyalty to the Emperor and soldierly qualities. The protectores were an order of honor rather than a military unit. The order first appeared in the mid-200s AD.
  • Quaestionarius – An interrogator or torturer.
  • Retentus – A soldier kept in service after serving required term.
  • Rorarii – The final line, or reserve, in the ancient pre-Marius Roman army. These were removed even before the so-called "Marian reforms", as the Triarii provided a very sturdy anchor.
  • Sagittarii – Archers, including horse-riding auxiliary archers recruited mainly in North Africa, Balkans, and later the Eastern Empire.
  • Salararius – A soldier enjoying special service conditions or hired as a mercenary.
  • Scholae – was used in the late Roman Empire to signify a unit of Imperial Guards.
  • Scholae Palatinae – An elite troop of soldiers created by the Emperor Constantine the Great to provide personal protection of the Emperor and his immediate family.
  • Scorpionarius – An artilleryman operating a scorpio artillery piece.
  • Sesquiplicarii – A soldier issued one-and-a-half times pay, such as a Tesserarius or a minor cavalry officer as part of a Turma
  • Signifer – Standard bearer of the Roman Legion.
  • Simplares - A soldier paid standard pay; a regular legionaire or somebody paid the equivalent
  • Socii – Troops from allied states in the pre-Marian army before the Social War (91–88 BC)
  • Speculatores and Exploratores – The scouts and reconnaissance element of the Roman army.
  • Supernumerarii – Supernumerary soldiers who served to fill the places of those who were killed or disabled by their wounds. Also used for the cavalry contingent of a legion during the Principate, who despite being included on the cohort lists, camped separate to the infantry.
  • Strategos - General and military governor of a theme in the Byzantine Empire.
  • Stratelates – A Greek translation for the rank of magister militum that was used in the late Roman and Byzantine armies.
  • Stratopedarches – A term originally used to refer to a Roman camp prefect, it was later used for a Roman or Byzantine general or a Byzantine commander-in-chief.
  • Tablifer – A standard-bearer for the guard cavalry.
  • Tesserarius – Guard commander, one per centuria.
  • Tirones – A basic trainee.
  • Torquati - A soldier issued with a golden collar in reward for bravery or valor. Depending on circumstances, they may also be rewarded with double pay, making them Torquato Duplares
  • Triarii – Spearmen of the pre-Marian armies, equipped with the Hasta, who formed the third line of battle behind the Principes.
  • Tribuni angusticlaviiMilitary tribune of equestrian rank, five of whom were assigned to each legion.
  • Tribunus militum - Officer in the Roman army who ranked below the legate but above the centurion.
  • Tribunus militum laticlaviusMilitary tribune of senatorial rank. Second in command of a legion. Appointments to this rank seem to have ceased during the sole reign of Gallienus as part of a policy of excluding senators from military commands.
  • Tubicen – A trumpeter.
  • Urbanae – A special police force of Rome, created to counterbalance the Praetorians.
  • Velites – A class of light infantry in the army of the Roman Republic.
  • Venator – A hunter (a type of immunes).
  • Vexillarius – Bearer of a vexillum (standard).
  • Vigiles – were the firefighters and police.
↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Gaius Lutatius Catulus

Gaius Lutatius Catulus (fl. 242–241 BC) was a Roman statesman and naval commander in the First Punic War. He was born a member of the plebeian gens Lutatius. His cognomen "Catulus" means "puppy". There are no historical records of his life prior to consulship, but his career probably followed the standard cursus honorum, beginning with service in the cavalry and continuing with the positions of military tribune and quaestor.

He was elected as a consul in 242 BC, a novus homo. His colleague as consul was Aulus Postumius Albinus. In addition to the consulship Postumius held the position of Flamen Martialis, and for this reason the pontifex maximus Lucius Caecilius Metellus forbade him from leaving the city. Lutatius was therefore the only candidate for commanding the war in Sicily. The senate appointed the praetor Quintus Valerius Falto as his second-in-command. This was somewhat of a novelty, since a second praetorship was created only a few years earlier, thereby allowing one of the praetors to leave Rome. Typically the two consuls shared the command of the army.

↑ Return to Menu

Military tribune in the context of Executive magistrates of the Roman Empire

The executive magistrates of the Roman Empire were elected individuals of the ancient Roman Empire. During the transition from monarchy to republic, the constitutional balance of power shifted from the executive (the Roman King) to the Roman Senate. During the transition from republic to empire, the constitutional balance of power shifted back to the executive (the Roman Emperor). Theoretically, the senate elected each new emperor, although in practice, it was the army which made the choice. The powers of an emperor, (his imperium) existed, in theory at least, by virtue of his legal standing. The two most significant components to an emperor's imperium were the "tribunician powers" (potestas tribunicia) and the "proconsular powers" (imperium proconsulare). In theory at least, the tribunician powers (which were similar to those of the Plebeian Tribunes under the old republic) gave the emperor authority over Rome's civil government, while the proconsular powers (similar to those of military governors, or Proconsuls, under the old republic) gave him authority over the Roman army. While these distinctions were clearly defined during the early empire, eventually they were lost, and the emperor's powers became less constitutional and more monarchical.

Under the empire, the citizens were divided into three classes, and for members of each class, a distinct career path was available (known as the cursus honorum). The traditional magistracies were only available to citizens of the senatorial class. The magistracies that survived the fall of the republic were (by their order of rank in the cursus honorum) the Consulship, Praetorship, Plebeian Tribunate, Aedileship, Quaestorship, and Military Tribunate. If an individual was not of the senatorial class, he could run for one of these offices if he was allowed to run by the emperor, or otherwise, he could be appointed to one of these offices by the emperor. Mark Antony abolished the offices of Roman Dictator and Magister equitum ("Master of the Horse") during his Consulship in 44 BC, shortly after the assassination of Julius Caesar. The office of Interrex was also abolished during the transition from republic to empire. In 22 BC the emperor Augustus appointed P. Aemilius Lepidus and L. Munatius Plancus to the Censorship, and while they began a census that year, they never completed it, and shortly thereafter the office was abolished. The emperor Claudius attempted to revive the office by appointing himself and L. Vitellius Censor in 47 AD, but after Claudius, no further attempts were made to revive the office.

↑ Return to Menu