Military tribune

Tribunus militaris or militum (Latin ) designated a senior officer of the Roman army and is usually rendered in English with a military tribune, to avoid confusion with the civil tribunes.

Already in the period of the kings, the leaders of departments of the cavalry should have been referred to as Tribuni celerum. In the Republican period each legion six elected military tribunes, at least five years military experience and the census had a Eques have had. They led the command alternately two months and were also responsible for the excavation, the leadership of the lists, and other similar transactions. The military tribunes were initially appointed by the consuls. From 362-207 BC the election of military tribunes went but gradually over to the people. Has an extraordinary way excavated a large number of legions, but the appointment of additional tribunes carried on through the consuls.

A special form was the Tribuni Soldiers consulari potestate ( " military tribunes with consular power" ). They were elected in the early Roman Republic 444-367 BC instead of the consuls and were the top officials of the Republic in the respective years. This construction was used by Livy to also plebeians, who were selected for this office to provide access to the highest magisterial authority. After knowledge of current research, the military tribunes were with consular power in practice, however, almost exclusively patricians and their clients.

In imperial times there were two ranks of military tribunes:

• Tribunus Laticlavius ​​( military tribune with " wide purple border " on the tunic ). This is the formal second highest officer of the imperial legion. He was the deputy of Legatus, the Legion Commander, and the most senior of the six military tribunes. The Tribune Laticlavius ​​was a young aristocrat from the senatorial order ( ordo senatorius ). He usually began after a military service of about three years at an age of about 25 years, his civilian senatorial career ( cursus honorum ).

• Tribunus Angusticlavius ​​( military tribune with " narrow purple border " on the tunic ). This was also to young aristocrats, however, from the equestrian order ( ordo equester ). They also only served for about three years as a semi- professional officers with administrative tasks. Per legion there were five Tribuni Angusticlavii.