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The Roman Revolution

audio gifPompey

audio gif Gnaeus Pompeius was also a hero in the 70s. He was a much better general than Crassus; in fact, if Pompey had not been overshadowed by Caesar, he would have been much admired as a commander. He had defended the Senate against a rebellion by audio gif Lepidus in 77 and against audio gif Sertorius in 72. Both these men were somewhat in the mold of Sulla or Marius -- powerful generals who ran afoul of the Senate and who resorted to rebellion.

Bust of Pompey
Pompey "the Great"

So Pompey was twice over the savior of Rome. It is a measure of the overheated nature of politics at this time that there were so many saviors of Rome to be found, and so many rebellions. The Senate was nominally at the helm, but in fact Rome was prey to every successful general who became disgruntled.

In 72, Pompey returned to Italy -- with his army. He tactfully parked it some distance from Rome, but he quite pointedly put set the winter camp within an easy march of the city. He then went to the Senate and expressed his desire to run for consul. Pompey was too young to run for consul and the Senate was disinclined to humor him. The year was 71 and Crassus was returning (with his army) from the Spartacus revolt. The two men met, agreed to join their interests, and the Senate found itself faced with two armies.

Whereupon, Pompey was allowed to stand for consul. Not suprisingly, he won.

Notice what is happening here. Where the attachment of an army to an individual general was a military expedient in Marius' day, now it had become commonplace. And where Marius or Sulla used their army against the Senate only in time of crisis, now the use of an army had become a political necessity for the ambitious man.

It was only a matter of time before someone came along who was a master of the new Roman politics.