Everything Everywhere Daily: The History of Military Ranks (Encore)

Host: Gary Arndt | Glassbox Media
Release Date: March 27, 2025

Introduction to Military Hierarchies

In this encore episode of Everything Everywhere Daily, host Gary Arndt delves into the intricate evolution of military ranks, tracing their origins from ancient times to the modern-day structures prevalent in armed forces around the world. Gary sets the stage by emphasizing the fundamental nature of militaries as hierarchical institutions, where decisions flow from the top and orders are executed by those below.

“Every military in the world is a hierarchical organization. There are people at the top who make decisions, people down below who follow those orders, and people in between who make it happen.” (02:15)

Early Military Structures: Ancient Persia

Gary begins by exploring one of the earliest examples of organized military hierarchies in ancient Persia. The Persian Empire, renowned for its vast expanse and diverse cultures, managed to assemble formidable armies numbering in the tens or even hundreds of thousands. These forces were systematically organized by factors of ten:

• Dathabam (10 men): Led by a Dathapattus.
• Satabam (100 men): Commanded by a Satapattis.
• Hazarabam (1,000 men): Directed by a Hazara padus.
• Bavarabam (10,000 men): Overseen by a Bavara padas.
• Aran Safbad: The supreme commander in chief.

This hierarchical simplicity facilitated effective command and logistics, crucial for maintaining such large-scale military operations.

“Persia was able to raise armies of tens or even hundreds of thousands of men. They organized their army in a way that actually made quite a bit of sense...” (05:30)

Roman Military Hierarchy

Contrasting with Persian structures, Gary examines the Roman military system. During the Roman Republic, military commanders were often elected, typically one of the two consuls. The hierarchy included:

• Legate: The overall commander.
• Tribunes: Often from high-status Roman families.
• Centurions: Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the army.

Post the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire in the East developed an even more complex military hierarchy, featuring ranks such as Strategos, Turmaches, Drungarios, Domestikos, Magistros, and Comes.

“The Roman military had a very different system... Each rank had specific responsibilities that maintained the structure and efficiency of the army.” (09:45)

Feudal Military Structures in Western Europe

With the advent of feudalism in Western Europe, military ranks became a direct reflection of the rigid social hierarchy. The structure was straightforward:

• Lord or King: Head of the army.
• Knights or Commanders: Lesser nobles in command.
• Peasants: Foot soldiers with little opportunity for advancement regardless of merit.

This system emphasized social status over military competence, limiting the potential for talented individuals to ascend the ranks.

“Social rank was commensurate with military rank. Things started to change in the Renaissance as armies became more professional and larger...” (14:10)

Professionalization of Armies: Renaissance to 19th Century

The Renaissance sparked a transformation in military organization, leading to more professional and sizable armies. Despite these advancements, the ability to purchase officer commissions persisted into the 18th and 19th centuries, especially within the British Army. This practice maintained a semblance of social hierarchy, even as armies became more structured and merit-based opportunities for advancement began to surface.

“When the World wars came about in the 20th century, the Allies had issues with their ranks... NATO was formed after the war, one of the things the Allies did was normalize their ranks across all the member nations.” (18:25)

World Wars and NATO Rank Standardization

World War I and World War II highlighted inconsistencies in military ranks among Allied forces, complicating joint operations. In response, the formation of NATO led to the standardization of ranks across member nations, ensuring clear equivalencies irrespective of national differences. This harmonization extended across all branches of the armed services, establishing a cohesive structure that persists today.

“NATO was formed after the war, one of the things the Allies did was normalize their ranks across all the member nations.” (21:00)

Origins and Etymology of Modern Military Ranks

Gary provides a comprehensive overview of modern military ranks, primarily focusing on the American Army while noting similarities across other nations. Each rank’s unique history and linguistic origins reveal much about their current roles and responsibilities.

Private

• Origin: From "private soldier," distinguishing common soldiers from nobility.
• Etymology: Reflects individuals responsible solely for themselves, akin to a "private citizen."
• Modern Usage: The lowest rank, with distinctions like Private First Class in the U.S. Army.

“The term private soldier has been described in a few different ways... it was frequently used as late as the 18th and 19th centuries.” (25:40)

Corporal

• Origin: Derived from the Latin "corpus" (body) and "corporalis" (of the body).
• Etymology: Originally denoted an officer responsible for a body of troops.
• Modern Usage: Considered the lowest rank of non-commissioned officers (NCOs).

“The word corporal is derived from the Latin word corpus, which means body...” (28:10)

Sergeant

• Origin: From the Old French "serviens," meaning one who serves.
• Etymology: Historically a servant or attendant role.
• Modern Usage: Multiple ranks exist, such as Sergeant Major and Staff Sergeant, serving as the highest NCOs.

“The word sergeant comes from Old French, which itself comes from the Latin word serviens, meaning one who serves.” (30:55)

Lieutenant

• Origin: From the French "lieu tenant," meaning "holding the place."
• Etymology: Refers to someone acting in the absence of higher authority.
• Modern Usage: Includes ranks like Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant in the U.S. military.

“The term was first used as a full rank in the military in the 18th century.” (32:20)

Captain

• Origin: From the Latin "caput," meaning head.
• Etymology: Denotes the leader of a unit or company.
• Modern Usage: Commands a company of roughly 100 to 200 soldiers; distinct from naval captaincies.

“The word originates from the Italian word colanello, which means column of soldiers... in English, the original Italian spelling was taken, but the pronunciation was pronounced in the French manner.” (36:15)

Major

• Origin: From the Latin "major," meaning greater or senior.
• Etymology: Signifies a senior subordinate to a colonel.
• Modern Usage: Acts as executive officers in larger units like regiments or brigades.

“Above a captain is a major. It was originally used to denote the senior subordinate of a colonel.” (38:40)

Colonel

• Origin: From the Italian "colono," meaning commander of a column or regiment.
• Etymology: Despite its spelling, pronounced differently due to French influence.
• Modern Usage: Commands a regiment; notable for its irregular pronunciation in English.

“The word colonel has a very odd pronunciation given how the word is spelled... Colonel Sanders... was a Kentucky Colonel, an honorary title.” (40:05)

General

• Origin: From the Latin "generalis," meaning pertaining to all or universal.
• Etymology: Denotes the highest level of command.
• Modern Usage: Five ranks in the U.S. Army, from Brigadier General to General of the Army, with an additional rarely used rank of General of the Armies.

“There are currently five ranks of generals on the books in the United States... General of the Armies, but it's rarely, rarely used.” (42:30)

Conclusion and Future Topics

Gary wraps up by acknowledging that while this episode focused primarily on army ranks, naval ranks and traditions present a completely different structure deserving their own exploration in future episodes. He highlights how deeply rooted military traditions are, which is why many ranks with peculiar spellings or pronunciations have endured through centuries.

“As with many things in our world, military traditions date back centuries, which is why many military ranks with odd spellings or pronunciations still exist today.” (45:10)

Gary also expresses gratitude towards the production team and the listeners who support the show, encouraging engagement through Patreon, Facebook, and Discord.

Executive Producer: Charles Daniel
Associate Producers: Austin Oakton and Cameron Kiefer
Acknowledgments: Patreon supporters and community members on Facebook and Discord.

This episode offers a thorough examination of the historical development of military ranks, providing listeners with a nuanced understanding of how modern hierarchical structures came to be. From ancient Persia's organized armies to NATO's standardized ranks, Gary Arndt masterfully navigates through time, illuminating the interplay between society, language, and military organization.