A military tribune was an official in ancient Rome who was both a military officer of the Roman Legion and an official of the Roman State.

Tribunes in the professional army had no definite duties. They were appointed tasks by the legate whenever the need arose. It has been suggested that the rank was equivalent to a colonel in the armies of today's world.

Traditionally, a young man of senatorial rank would take a post as a military tribune at the age of twenty.^{[citation needed]} After completing this post, he would begin his journey through the cursus honorum, or the ladder of senatorial offices in the Roman government.After the Marian reforms created a professional system, legions were commanded by a legionary legate (legatus). Six tribunes were still posted to a legion, but their duties and responsibilities had changed. The second in command to the legate was the tribunus laticlavius, a young man of Senatorial rank. He was given this position to learn and watch the actions of the legate. The other five tribunes were slightly lower in rank, and were called the tribuni angusticlavii. These were men of equestrian rank who had seen prior military action.