AKICOLJ : what DID military tribunes actually do?

[bunn]

Although the tribune Servius Placidus keeps wittering on in my head about how important he is really, and how it is daft to have a book that is mostly about a mere Centurion, when it could be all about HIM, I am a bit woolly about what his actual job entails.  

I'm guessing he's a Tribunus laticlavius - ie, number 1 tribune destined for a political future, given the period (around 130AD). And I know that legionary staff do a lot of detailed accounts and logistics stuff.... Is he a sort of legionary accountant or management trainee?

Any thoughts?

Comments

[bunn.livejournal.com]

That's roughly my impression as well, although I've also come across the suggestion that the more junior tribunes might also be older or more experienced, and it's really only the Tribunus laticlavius who is really guaranteed to be a suitably upperclass twit in training...

I suspect that it may be that nobody really knows exactly what tribunes *did* day to day, which for my purposes would be ideal. :-D But I thought I'd at least see if anyone on here had found something I'd missed!