Editing Legate (ancient Rome) (section)

{{Short description|High-ranking Roman military officer}}
{{About|the ancient Roman military rank|the bird genus|Legatus (bird)|other uses|Legate (disambiguation)}}
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A '''legate''' ([[Latin language|Latin]]: '''{{lang|la|legatus}}''', {{IPA|la-x-classic|ɫeːˈɡaːtʊs|lang}}) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the [[Roman army]], equivalent to a high-ranking [[general officer]] of modern times. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under [[Augustus]] as the officer in command of a [[Roman 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 within [[Political institutions of ancient Rome|Roman politics]] (e.g., the [[Roman consul|consul]] [[Lucius Julius Caesar (consul 64 BC)|Lucius Julius Caesar]] volunteered late in the [[Gallic Wars]] as a legate under his first cousin, [[Julius Caesar|Gaius Julius Caesar]]).  

Diplomats and envoys sent by Rome were also given the title of legate.