A
military tribune (Latin
tribunus militum, "tribune of the soldiers", Greek
chiliarchos, χιλίαρχος) was an officer of the
Roman army who ranked below the
legate and above the
centurion. Young men of Equestrian rank often served as military tribune 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.