From 501 BC, the Athenians annually elected ten individuals to the rank of strategos, one for each of the ten … See more

Post-classical militaries did not have a unified rank structure; while the feudal lords were in some ways equivalent to modern officers, they did not have a strict hierarchy—a king was conceived of as first among equ… See more

Modern military services recognize three broad categories of personnel. These are codified in the Geneva Conventions, which distinguish officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men.
Apart from … See more

Appointment is the instrument by virtue of which the person exercises their authority. Officers are appointed by a royal commission in most monarchies or a presidential commission in many other countries. I… See more

There are a number of different forms of rank; from highest to lowest degree, they are:
• Substantive or permanent: the fully paid and confirmed rank, with eligibility for the correspond… See more

To get a sense of the practical meaning of these ranks—and thus to be able to compare them across the different armed services, different nations, and the variations of titles and insignia—an understand… See more