Cezar-Pompey-Crassus vs Senatul-Roman!

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2-Istoria ramane pasiunea mea nr-1!

His were more the triumph of luxury than the triumph of conquest.”

Crassus was keen to stoke the rumours of Pompey’s “invasion”, and so fled Rome with his family and his fortune. Pompey, for his part, had no such intention, and swiftly disbanded his army after landing in Italia. He was cheered on along the route, and a huge crowd gathered in support of him. By the time he reached Rome, the crowd was so great that is was said he would not have needed an army to seize power.

Pompey then set about arranging his third triumph, which was celebrated on his 45th birthday in 61 BC. Spectacular on an unprecedented scale, the event took place over two days. Having won victories in Europe, Africa and Asia, Pompey was the first Roman to celebrate triumphs on three continents – his closest rival being Scipio Amilianus’ two for Europe and Africa. Pompey’s elaborate triumph displayed the wonders from the kingdoms he had conquered – Pontus, Armenia, Cappadocia, Media, Paphlagonia, Colchis, Albania, Iberia, Syria, Judea, Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, and Nabataea. He had captured 900 cities, 1,000 strongholds, 800 pirate ships, and founded 39 new cities. His captives included pirate leaders, the son of Tigranes the Great, a sister and five children of Mithridates VI Eupator, the King oif the Jews Aristobulus, the King of Commagne, and various tribal leaders.

Some 324 captives were parades, with images of Mithridates the Great and Tigranes including a 4 foot high gold statue of the Pontic king. Carriages and litters were filled with the gold and spoils on conquest, including the coach of Darius and the throne and sceptre of Mithridates. Pompey rode a chariot inlaid with studded gems, and worse what he claimed was the cloak of Alexander the Great. He had a chess board made of two huge precious stones, and a trophy for ruling “the civilised world”. Pompey increased the state’s revenue by 70 per cent, and many estimated that his own fortune now matched that of Crassus. He had increased Roman dominion considerably, and now comfortably ascribed himself with the cognomen “Magnus”. Pompey was now truly and awe-inspiring and intimidating figure, the greatest man in the Roman world who it would be difficult to surpass.

With a rise in fortune came a rise in envy, and fear of tyranny. The Senate thus set about blocking many of his actions that needed ratification, such as land grants for his veterans and recognition of the new cities. The Optimates conspired to have a Consul in power who opposed him, while Pompey’s man, his co-consul, proved to be ineffective at seeing Pompey’s desires forced through the Senate. Pompey and Crassus shared a mistrust of the Optimates, but were at loggerheads with each other, and Pompey’s own camp was insufficient to overcome the opposition.

That chance presented itself in 60 BC with the return of Julius Caesar from Hispania, returning early from his position without senatorial permission to seek the consulship. Caesar was a skilled and effective politician and orator, with military success to his name, but was also essentially a client of Crassus, who had funded his political career. This was to his benefit though, as he proved to be an excellent mediator betwixt Crassus and Pompey. With their backing, he stood for and won the consulship in 59 BC, though he looked to have been thwarted by his Optimate co-consul, Bibilus.

Consul brings many powers it, many of which are retained as Proconsul. The ability to raise legions, immunity from prosecution, the right to kill anyone who lays a hand on you, and the freedom to enter any building in Rome. Following his election, Caesar used the last of those right to visit the home of Bibilus. We still do not know what he said, or did, but Bibilus retired from politics thereafter, effectively leaving Caesar as lone Consul, unchallenged. He thus pushed through the bills of Crassus and Pompey fairly easily, and was chosen as governor of Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy). When the governor of Transalpine Gaul (Provence, France) died, he assumed that position too, and with it the command of four legions.

The alliance betwixt the trio is recorded in history as the First Triumvirate. Caesar tied himself to Pompey by seeing his older partner wed to his daughter Julia, even though she was betrothed to another man. The gang leader Pulcher was even acquired to speak out against Cicero, and succeeded in having him exiled, only for Pompey to recall him year’s later, much to Cicero’s delight. Rather than head off conquering again, Pompey would now spend the next few years consolidating his power in Rome. Though just as he belittled Sulla in saying people look to the rising sun, not the setting sun, a new power was rising in Rome. For Julius Caesar was heading to Gaul.