Roman Army Ranks

History, Facts and Information about Roman Army Ranks
The content of this article provides interesting history, facts and information about Roman Army Ranks. The Roman Army was one of the greatest armies that the world has ever seen and it consisted of troops of all arms, infantry, cavalry, and, when military engines were extensively employed they were also experts in artillery.

Roman Army
Roman Legion
Roman Cohorts
Roman Siege Weapons

Roman Army Ranks - Hierarchy
The basic hierarchy of the Roman Army ranks was as follows:

The General / Dux / Imperator / Commander
The Lieutenants or Legates (legati) who frequently commanded separate legions
The Quaestor who was charged with the care of the military chest and the supplies
The Body-guards (cohors praetoria) of the senior officers
The military Tribunes (tribuni militum)
The Captains, or Centurions
Immunes - Soldiers with special skills
Standard bearers
Evocati - Veteran soldiers
Beneficiarii - the orderlies
Conicen - The musicians
Munifex - The Roman Soldiers - the lowest ranks equivalent to privates

Roman Army Ranks
The following table provides a list and definition of the Roman Army Ranks found in a legion. The number of soldiers in a legion was not absolutely fixed. The numbers of soldiers in a the legion at first contained 3000 soldiers, increasing to 4000 or 4200 infantry during the Punic Wars and eventually the numbers varied from 5000 to 6200, generally approaching to the higher limit. Amid all the variations with regard to the infantry, 300 horsemen formed the regular complement of the legion. The following table provides a list and definition of the Roman Army Ranks found in a legion:

Roman Army Ranks
Adscripticius	Adscripticius - an additional soldier of the Roman Republic who served to fill the places of those who were killed or disabled
Aquilifer	Aquilifer carried the legionary eagle.
Armicustos	Armicustos was a quartermaster - tasked with the administration and supply of weapons
Auxiliaries	Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia meaning "supports") formed the standing non-citizen corps
Ballistarius	Ballistarius was an artillery operator.
Beneficiarii	Beneficiarii - orderlies who performed various services for the higher army officers
Cataphractarii	Cataphractarii were heavily armed and armoured cavalrymen deployed in the 2nd Century AD
Centurion	A Centurion was an important role in the Roman Army Ranks. A centurion had 100 men in his command
Centuriones exercitatores	Centuriones exercitatores were the training officers for the cavalry
Cohortes equitates	Cohortes equitates were the mixed cohorts of cavalry and infantry
Conicen (cornicines)	A Conicen was the horn-blower in the Roman Army ranks. There was one to every century.
Cornicularius	Cornicularius An administrative officer within a legion
Decanus	Decanus was the first rank that a legionary could be promoted to. Similar to a modern-day Sergeant
Discentes signiferorum	Discentes signiferorum A trainee standard bearer
Draconarius	Draconarius was a Roman cavalry standard bearer
Duplicarius	Duplicarius was an officer of the Roman legions receiving double the basic pay.
Equites	Equites - Roman citizen horse troops drawn from the Roman equestrian class.
Evocati	Evocati were soldiers who had served their full time but had re-enlisted at the general's request - veteran volunteers
Extraordinarii	Extraordinarii Soldiers set aside for special backup services. This force usually contained 20% of the infantry and 33% of the cavalry
Hastiliarius	Hastiliarius was a weapons instructor
Hastati	Hastati (raw troops). The soldiers of the first line consisted of youths and were armed with the hasta, or spear
Imaginifer	Imaginifer: Carried the Standard bearing the three dimensional image of the Emperor
Immunes	Immunes were soldiers who had special skills and who were "immune" from combat duty and fatigues through having a more specialist role within the army
Lancearii	Lancearii - Spear armed mail clad field troopers
Legate (Legatus or Legatus legionis)	Legatus or Legatus legionis A legatus (often anglicized as legate) was a general in the Roman army,
Libritors	Libritors were artillerymen who operated siege engines such as the onager
Miles or Miles Gregarius	Miles or Miles Gregarius - The basic private level foot soldier
Munifex	Munifex The lowest rank in a legion. Equivalent to a private
Optio	Optio A legion centurion's second in command
Peditatus	Peditatus - a term referring to any infantryman
Pilus prior	Pilus prior A high ranking officer within a manipuli who also commanded the cohorts
Praetor	Praetor was the commander of an army
Prefectus	Prefectus A general term used for the holders of different ranks in the military
Prefectus castrorum	Prefectus castrorum The third in command in a legion
Prefectus equitatius	Prefectus equitatius An officer commanding a unit of cavalry
Prefectus fabrorum	Prefectus fabrorum An officer who had responsibility for the craftsmen supplying services to the military. Blacksmiths, metal workers etc
Primus Pilus	Primus Pilus: Legion Commander
Principes	Principes (trained troops) composed of experienced men
Quaestionarius	Quaestionarius - an interrogator or torturer.
Sagittarii	Sagittarii - archers, including horse-riding auxiliary archers recruited mainly in the Eastern Empire and Africa
Scorpionarius	Scorpionarius was an artilleryman operating a scorpion artillery weapon
Signifier	The Signifier carried the Century's standard (signum) into battle and was also the treasurer for the Century. Senior Officer in a Century
Socii	Socii - Conscripts
Triarii	Triarii (veterans) Experienced soldiers were armed with the pilum, four and a half feet long, of wood, with a barbed head of iron, so that the whole length of the weapon was six feet nine inches.
Tribune (Tribunus)	Tribune (Latin:Tribunus) One of six assistants to a legion commander, the Primus Pilus. Usually a young senator learning the basics for his career
Tribunus Cohortis	Tribunus Cohortis: Commander of a Cohort military unit.
Tribunus Cohortis Urbanae	Tribunus Cohortis Urbanae: Urban cohort commander.
Tubicines	The trumpeters
Velites	Velites The light soldiers. Unlike the Hastaii, they did not have full armour, although they did have a helmet and a shield. They were also armed with a sword, but had a only a short javelin as opposed to a pilum.
Venator	Venator - a hunter (a type of immunes)
Vexillarius	The bearer of the vexillum standard
Roman Army Ranks

Roman Army Ranks
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Roman Army Ranks
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