Military Tribunes and their significance

[D B Campbell]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Praetorian Guard. They were organized into cohorts (not legions) and of course the Tribunes would command one or two cohorts. Since Domitian, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius all used the Guardsmen in their campaigns their Tribunes were also put to good use.

It is maybe worth emphasizing that the tribunes in the City cohorts were different from your average equestrian tribune. They appear to have been time-served legionary centurions who had progressed to the primipilate (i.e., they had been primus pilus and praefectus castrorum), so we can imagine that they were tough "action men".

[Theodosius the Great]

It is maybe worth emphasizing that the tribunes in the City cohorts were different from your average equestrian tribune. They appear to have been time-served legionary centurions who had progressed to the primipilate (i.e., they had been primus pilus and praefectus castrorum), so we can imagine that they were tough "action men".

True, but even tough men grow soft while living in civic environments. Just think of the Rhine legions when they occupied Rome during the war of 69 AD. Then you have the Syrian legions billeted in towns instead of forts.

Still, I thought the Praetorians and their Tribunes deserved mention since they stopped being "toy soldiers" for about a century starting with Domitian.

BTW, thanks for clarifying the title of "Praepositus."


Theo

[Caius Fabius]

This might fit here...
"When Cato the Younger was a military tribune in 67 BC, his entourage consisted of 15 slaves, two freedmen and four friends".

Cato the younger was probably a young senatorial tribune at the time. What would the older, semi-professional equestrian tribune have as an entourage?

The senatorial military tribune was obviously not just a rich kid on a horse, he had other well-born 'friends' also learning the ropes, and his own small staff.

As I find tidbits about "military tribunes" I'll add them here to this thread, maybe we can get a better picture of the position and responsibilities.

[mike galer]

My old tutor (Mark Hassell, inscription editor of Britannia) once suggested to me that the Tribunes of the legions, the angusticlavii, were in charge of 2 cohorts each - though there is no absolute evidence for it. He thought this made tactical sense on the battle-field (the angusticlavii were experienced men, having come from careers commanding units/regiments in the auxillia) BUT and this is the interesting bit, he felt it was due to a throwback to the Repbublican days of unit organisation, where cohorts (and legions for that matter) were organised in twos.

[Praefectusclassis]

he felt it was due to a throwback to the Repbublican days of unit organisation, where cohorts (and legions for that matter) were organised in twos.

There are more indications though that (sub)units were paired off. IIRC Speidel makes the case in Framework of the Imperial Legion that it encouraged inter-unit rivalry and competition.