HST 130, the fall of the Roman republic.
Assessment 2
by
Feodor Weissmann
student ID - 40899152
OUA ID - 88456
In what ways is Pompey's early political career (down to 70 B.C.) unorthodox?
I think Cicero summarized the unorthodoxy of Pompey's early political career in :
Cicero, On the Command of Pompey 61-62
"For what is so unprecedented as that a mere boy, holding no office, should gather a private army at a critical time for the state? He gathered one." At age of 23 Pompey gathered an army, fully equipping 3 legions, expelled envoys of Carbo from his regions and marched towards Sulla`s forces advancing on Rome. (Plutarch. Pompey par. 6). "And that he should command it? He commanded it. And that he should be splendidly successful in his own leadership? He was so successful." During this march he was encountered hostile forces, encounters in which he had proved himself both as strategist and tactician successfully defeating hostile forces and reaching Sulla. He was able to bring a substantial fighting force in such a good condition that Sulla himself greeted him with title, he was still fighting to achieve - The Imperator (Plutarch. Pompey par. 8.1).In fact Sulla was so impressed by Pompey that he dispatched him to Gaul to replace Metellus, one of his senior generals. In a brilliant political move Pompey refused to replace Metellus, stating that he should not take a province out of the hands of such a distinguished commander instead offering himself to fight under Metellus`s imperium. Again he is regarded as military successful commander being able to both lead his man and increase morale of whole fighting force. (Plutarch. Pompey par. 8.2). With Rome and Italy under Sulla, Sulla proposes marriage between his step daughter, Aemilia and Pompey. Pompey accept the proposal although Aemilia is married to another, pregnant with her husband's child and devorces his wife - Antistia for this alliance. (Plutarch. Pompey par. 9)
" What was so contrary to custom as that an extraordinarily young man, whose age fell far short of that required for senatorial office, should be given a command and an army, that he should be entrusted with Sicily and with Africa and the war to be conducted in that province?"
Sulla learns that his opponent's forces, defeated in mainland Italy occupy Sicily and colonies in North Africa. He immediately dispatches pompey with large force to crush the opposition. So he does with his inherent brutality again leaving up to his nick name "Butcher boy". He defeats the opposition on all fronts, liberating Sicily, which was extremely important to the Rome's grain supplies and scatters all enemy forces in North Africa, installing regimes loyal to Rome.(Plutarch. Pompey par. 10-12)
"But what was so unheard-of as a Roman knight celebrating a triumph? Yet that too the Roman people saw – and not only saw but deemed it a sight and celebration worthy of universal attendance and enthusiasm."
Upon his return from North Africa, Pompey was was given new nick name - Magnificent by Sulla himself. We are told by Plutarch that people, aware of his achievements in North Africa greeted him on his approach to the city with such affection and large numbers that Sulla himself decided to outdo them all meeting Pompey in person outside of the city. (Plutarch. Pompey par. 13) However Pompey demanded a triumph for himself, such a request being highly unorthodox because Pompey at that time still was non-magistrate, with triumphs reserved only for consuls and praetors. At first Sulla declined giving Pompey that honors but eventually he gave in and Pompey was awarded his first triumph. (Plutarch. Pompey par. 14.1,2)
Pompey has no an opportunity to be elected to senate but he does not pursue it, as " being ambitious, it seems, only of unusual honours. For what wonder had it been for Pompey to sit in the senate before his time? But to triumph before he was in the senate was really an excess of glory." (Plutarch. Pompey par. 14.1,2)
After Sulla's death Pompey's army fought Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, Roman consul accused by the Senate of an attempt to usurp power. Pompey acted under SCU issued against Lepidus, still remaining a part of chivalry estate and non-magistrate. (Sallust, The Speech of Philippus 21, 22)
Again Pompey was victorious but this time he refused to disband his army upon victory demanding to be sent to Spain with "proconsular imperium" and fight Sertorius, another rebel Roman general fighting a guerilla warfare against Metellus Pius, general sent by Roman senate to govern the province.(Plutarch. Pompey par. 17)
Upon Sertorius death and resistance in Hispania crushed, Pompey returned to Italy to assist Crassus to subdue slave revolt led by Spartacus. His arrival however was to late to play a significant role in the campaign, that fact did not prevented from him claiming the victory over the Spartacus as well.
(Plutarch. Pompey par. 21.1)
When returned to Rome Pompey was awarded a secund Triumph by special Senatorial decree. He received that honor yet again as a member of chivalry estate and non-magistrate (Cicero, On the Command of Pompey 62.1) Later he stood for consulship and was elected junior partner of Crassus in 70 BC. He was elected despite being under legal age for consulship and despite the fact he never before held any official position as required in "cursus honorum" (Cicero, On the Command of Pompey 62.1; Plutarch. Pompey par. 22.1) We can see that throughout his career Pompey advanced using not only his military genius but also his legions going as far threatening the Senate with military action (Sallust, Histories 2.98). Pompey was balancing his popularity on the streets of Rome with military muscle never however crossing his Rubicon. Still the fact remains, Pompey was never elected to any magistrate position, legislative or formally remaining "privatus of chivalry estate" until directly appointed to Counsel.
Elogium of Pompeius Magnus.
This man, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, son of Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo was a true son of Jupiter, Triumpher not once, not twice but three times, once for every part of the known world. The first and only man earned the privilage of Triumth not a Consul or a Pretor but as privatus. Victor over Commanders, Warlords, Generals and Kings in numbers greater then one can remember. He suppressed revolt of Spartacus and cleaned the seas from pirates, securing navigation in 3 seas. Conquerer of lands matched only by Alexander the Great. Victor over Mithridates, securing Asia as Roman province. Man, in his wisdom and skills responsible for over 30,000 talents of gold and silver added to treasury as spoils of wars, additional 40 million drachmas annually in taxes and steady supply of grain to Rome. Pompey the Magnus, bringing renown and nobility to his kin, man redefining the term of "New man" being noble and a Triumpher at 23, Consul at 35 and triple Triumpher. No other man in the world could stand in front of censors and state: "I have served all, and all under myself as general."
Bibliography (online):
The Internet Classics Archive of MIT - Plutarch, life of Pompey.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Columbia, the open encyclopedia.
