▁in ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁Guard ▁and ▁were ▁promoted ▁from ▁the ▁ranks ▁in ▁the ▁hierarchy . ▁Next ▁after ▁becoming ▁Cent ur ions , ▁they ▁had ▁to ▁serve ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁one ▁year ▁as ▁superior ▁cent ur ions ▁in ▁one ▁or ▁several ▁leg ions ▁before ▁ach ieving ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁Prim us ▁pil us ▁( the ▁highest ▁ranked ▁Cent ur ion ▁in ▁a ▁leg ion ). ▁Upon ▁return ▁to ▁Rome , ▁they ▁occupied ▁success ively ▁the ▁positions ▁of ▁Trib unes ▁of ▁the ▁V ig iles , ▁Trib une ▁of ▁the ▁Urban ▁C oh ort ▁and ▁finally ▁Trib une ▁of ▁the ▁Guard . ▁ ▁Other ▁leading ▁paths ▁towards ▁the ▁trib un ate ▁were ▁possible , ▁including ▁service ▁entirely ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁leg ions , ▁att aining ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Prim us ▁pil us ▁before ▁depart ing ▁to ▁Rome . ▁Nevertheless , ▁all ▁trib unes ▁were ▁combat ▁veter ans ▁with ▁extensive ▁military ▁experience . ▁Each ▁trib une ▁served ▁in ▁Rome ▁for ▁one ▁year , ▁following ▁which , ▁a ▁certain ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁men ▁would ▁ret ire . ▁ ▁A ▁few ▁of ▁them , ▁ranking ▁pla cement ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁hierarchy , ▁could ▁obtain ▁a ▁second ▁term ▁as ▁Prim us ▁Pil us ▁and ▁advance ▁towards ▁the ▁superior ▁e ch el ons ▁of ▁the ▁e quest rian ▁career ▁possibly ▁becoming ▁the ▁Pra et or ian ▁pre fect . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁pre fect s , ▁however , ▁were ▁ordinary ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁e quest rian ▁rank ▁by ▁birth . ▁The ▁men ▁who ▁att