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Alegate (Latin:legatus,Classical Latin:[ɫeːˈɡaːtʊs]) was a high-ranking military officer in theRoman army, equivalent to a modern-erageneral officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised underAugustus as the officer in command of aRoman legion.
From the times of the Roman Republic, legates received large shares of the military's rewards at the end of a successful campaign. This made the position a lucrative one, so it could often attract even distinguished consuls or other high-ranking political figures withinRoman politics (e.g., theconsulLucius Julius Caesar volunteered late in theGallic Wars as a legate under his first cousin,Gaius Julius Caesar).
Diplomats and envoys sent by Rome were also given the title of legate.
The rank of legate existed as early as theSamnite Wars, but it was not until 190 BC that it started to be standardized, meant to better manage the higher numbers of soldiers theSecond Punic War had forced to recruit. The legate of a Roman Republican army was essentially a suprememilitary tribune, drawn from among the senatorial class ofRome (usually aconsul orproconsul),[1] who acted as a second-in-command to the magistrate in charge of the force.[2][3] This role was usually played by either seasoned generals or ambitious young senators; the latter option eventually displaced the military tribune as a path to gain recognition.[2][4]
The legate was officially assigned by theSenate, the republic's highest governing body. An appointment was generally only done after consulting with the magistrate in command,[2][3] hoping to pair a commander and a lieutenant who could work together without trouble. This was established to avoid clashes of leadership like that of the consulsVarro andPaulus inCannae.[2] The legate often acted as a military consultant or adviser, likeScipio Africanus did for his brotherLucius during theRoman–Seleucid War, or as a trusted man of action, as in the case ofLucius Quinctius Flamininus and his brotherTitus in their campaigns.[3]
After the changes in the army of the late Republic around the 1st century BCE (often referred to as the "Marian reforms", although the accuracy of this designation is disputed), the figure of the legate as a major second-in-command was eliminated. Multiple legati were assigned to every army, each in command of alegion, which was calledlegatus legionis.Julius Caesar made wide use of this title throughout theGallic Wars.[1] Initially, only conflicts on foreign ground had demanded the presence of legati, but the beginning of theSocial War in 90 BC saw them being increasingly deployed in Italia.[2]
There were two main positions. Thelegatus legionis was an ex-praetor given command of one of Rome's legions,[citation needed] while thelegatus pro praetore was an ex-consul given thegovernorship of aRoman province, with the magisterial powers of a praetor, which in some cases included command of four or more legions. A legate was entitled to twelvelictors, who carried out punishments withfasces (bundled rods). Alegatus legionis could ordercapital punishment.[5]
FromAugustus onwards, the emperor gave the title oflegatus legionis to senior commanders (formermilitary tribunes) of a legion, except inEgypt andMesopotamia where the legions were commanded by apraefectus legionis of an equestrian rank. Thelegatus legionis was under the supreme command of alegatus Augusti pro praetore of senatorial rank. If the province was defended by a single legion, thelegatus Augusti pro praetore was also in direct command of the legion. This post was generally appointed by theemperor. The person chosen for this rank was a formertribune, and although the emperorAugustus set a maximum term of command of two years for alegatus, subsequent emperors extended the tenure to three or four years, although the incumbent could serve for a much longer period. In a province with only one legion, the legate served as the provincial governor, while in provinces with multiple legions each legion had a legate and a separate provincial governor who had overall command.
A legate was the principal commander of their assignedlegion.[6] TheLegatus legionis would delegate operational duties to their command staff ofTribunus laticlavius,Praefectus castrorum,Tribunus angusticlavii &Primus pilus who would collectively be responsible for the legion's operational effectiveness.
The legate could be distinguished in the field by his elaborateAttic helmet andLorica musculata orplumata, as well as a scarletpaludamentum (cloak),cincticulus (a sash tied around the waist) and aparazonium (status sword).[7]
The senatoriallegatus legionis was removed from the Roman army byGallienus, who preferred to entrust the command of a legionary unit to aleader chosen from within theequestrian order who had a long military career.
The title has other uses from the period of Augustus onwards, following the constitutional resettlement of 27 BC "that senatorial governors in the People's provinces bore the republican title of 'proconsul', while those appointed by the Emperor bore a title which explicitly referred to their dependence on him, namelylegatus, or deputy".[8]
Legatus was also a term for an ambassador of the Roman Republic who was appointed by the Senate for a mission (legatio) to a foreign nation, as well as for ambassadors who came to Rome from other countries.[9] The concept remains today as a diplomaticlegation.
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