<P> Within modern armed forces, the use of ranks is almost universal . Communist states have sometimes abolished ranks (e.g., the Soviet Red Army 1918--1935, the Chinese People's Liberation Army 1965--1988, and the Albanian Army 1966--1991), only to re-establish them after encountering operational difficulties of command and control . </P> <P> The term "rank" comes from Old French ranc meaning "row, line", borrowed from a Germanic dialect and cognate with English ring . </P> <P> From 501 BC the Athenians annually elected ten individuals to the rank of strategos, one for each of the ten "tribes" that had been created with the founding of the democracy . Strategos literally means "army leader" and so it is usually translated as "general". Originally these generals worked together with the old polemarchos ("warlord") but over time the latter figure was absorbed into the generalship: each of the ten generals would rotate as polemarch for one day, and during this day his vote would serve as tie - breaker if necessary . </P> <P> The ten generals were equal to one another . There was no hierarchy among them, however a basic form of democracy was in effect: For example, at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, the generals determined the battle plan by majority vote . Particular assignments, however, might have been given to individual generals; inevitably there was a regular division of responsibilities . </P>

What is order of rank in the army