Tribune

TRIBUNE, an Office of Dignity among the Romans. They had Tribunes of several kinds. Some had the Command of the Troops, others had a share in the Administration of the Commonwealth. We find some to be called Tribuni Celerum, who commanded a sort of Light Horse: Others were called Tribuni Ærarii, who had an Inspection into the Publick Treasure. Others were Tribuni Fabricarum, who took care about the making of Arms and Armour. Others were Tribuni Maritimorum, who had the Oversight of Sea-ports, of the Channels of Rivers, of the Salt-works. Tribuni Plebis were the Guardians and Patrons of the People, and were to protect them from any Injuries they might receive from the great ones. Lastly, Tribuni Militum, or Militiæ, who were divided into Greater and Lesser Tribunes; the first were Tribunes of Legions, the others Tribunes of Troops or Cohorts.

In Scripture the Word Tribune is often used, even in the Latin Text of the Old Testament; because the Translators know no Word more proper to express certain Employments, which have some Resemblance to that of the Tribunes of the Roman Republick. For example; St. Jerome¹ translates by Tribunes what the Hebrew calls Princes of a thousand, and the Septuagint, Chiliarchæ; which has the same Signification as the Hebrew. In the New Testament, the Word Tribune has more Relation to the Offices and Employments of the Romans, since they were really Officers of the Roman Troops: For example, in St. John xviii. 12. Acts xxi. 31, 32, 33, 37, &c. St. Mark speaks of the Tribunes of the Court of Herod the Tetrarch, Tetrarch, Mark vi. 22. Each of these in the Greek are called Chiliarchoi, or Captains of a thousand Men, as the Tribunes of Legions were. But he that apprehended St. Paul, and took him out of the hands of the Jews, Acts xxi. 31. was only a Captain or Tribune of a Company.

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