C. Julius Caesar
Caesar as Consul
- Earlier career anti-Sullan
- aunt married to Marius
- himself married Cinna's (cos. 87) daughter
- Reputation as man of action
- Pompey agrees to support his campaign for consulship
- Needs someone to ratify his acts in East and give land to veterans
- These laws opposed by senate
- Crassus also supports him
- Wants revision to contract for equestrian tax farmers in Asia
- As consul in 59 Caesar uses violence to pass legislation
- Pompey, Crassus, Caeasr for coalition to support each other
- Falsely called "First Triumvirate"
- Lasts till death of Crassus in 53
Caesar in Gaul
- Law in 59 gives Caesar command in Gaul for 5 yrs., extended for another 5 in 55
- Caeasr conquers Gaul in a series of campaigns 58-52
- 1 mil. killed, huge numbers of captives
- Caeasr enriches veteran army
- By 50 Caesar needed to find a way to be re-elected as consul and avoid prosecution for use of violence back in 59
Rome in 50s
- Caesar, Pompey, Crassus can thwart their enemies
- Forced to cooperate to uphold Caesar's legislation as consul
- So called "first triumvirate"
- Pompey least happy member
- He just wants to be a respected member of senate
- Crassus and Pompey not keen on each other
- Hold joint consulship in 55
- Crassus receives 5 yr.-command in Syria
- Invades Parthia
- Suffers catastrophic defeat at Carrhae in 53
- Pompey resents Caesar, becomes reconciled with opponents in senate
- Senior nobles see Caesar as main threat to constitution, want to use Pompey's military "genius" against him
- Violence, bribery undermine legitimacy of assemblies in Rome
- By 50, Caesar is outmaneuvered
- Can't secure re-election by legal means
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