Rome in the 50s
Alliance of Pompey, Crassus, Caesar
- 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
- Much hostility towards Caesar
- Attempts to undermine Pompey's support of Caesar
- Cato, Cicero drum up opposition to Caesar after his departure for Gaul
M. Porcius Cato
- Hostile to powerful individuals who threaten traditional oligarchy
- Widely respected for stern morality
- Once humiliated Q. Lutatius Catulus cos. 78
- Persuaded senate to authorize execution of Catilinarian conspirators in 63
- Inflexible in standing up for what he thinks right
- His refusal to accommodate Pompey or Crassus in 61-60 led to Caesar's election as consul
- Censured by Cicero for counter-productive adherence to principle
P. Clodius Pulcher
- Patrician turned plebeian to hold tribunate
- "Gang" leader
- Gangs organzied around collegia (religious groups)
- Coldius apparently found such activity fun
- Counter gangs organized for senate by T. Annius Milo
- Rest of decades sees constant "warfare" between rival gangs
- Holds grudge against Cicero
- Back in 61 he snuck in to women's religious party (held by Caesar's wife)
- Cicero ruined Clodius' alibi
- Clodius got off anyway through bribery
- Allowed to become plebeian by Caesar as consul after Cicero spoke against him
- As tr. pl. in 58 Clodius forms gangs to pass legislation
- Something of a loose cannon
- Exiles Cicero for his role in executing Catilinarian conspirators back in 63
- Cicero returned in 57
Pompey, Crasus Don't Get Along
- Crassus and Pompey not keen on each other
- Caesar forced to hold conference at Luca in 56 to reconcile them
- All have to stick together against "senatorial" opponents
- Cicero humiliated in that he's forced to give up a planned attack on Caesar
- Pompey & Crassus old joint consulship in 55
- Crassus receives 5 yr.-command in Syria
Crasssus Attacks Parthians
- Needs military glory to match Pompey's and Caesar's
- Hasn't had victory since defeat of Spartacus 15 years before
- Influene in senate not compensation
- Invades Mesopotamia
Controled by Parthia
- Parthians are major power to east to Syria
- Iranian tribe
- Control remains of Persian empire
- Strong in cavalry
- Ineffcient at offense, strong on defense
- Never attacked by Romans before
- Parthians having dynastic problems when Crassus decides to attack
- Succession settled by time that Crassus invades
- Suffers catastrophic defeat at Carrhae in 53
Reconciliation of Pompey, Oligarchs
- 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
- Year after year in late 50s the elections are delayed b/c of bribery, violence
- 52 starts without consuls
- Clodius murdered in encounter with Milo, gang leader working for senate
- Pompey elected sole consul (later choses his father-in-law as colleague)
- Makes sure that Milo is convicted, brings military into city
- Clearly controls the city
- Reconciles with senatorial group hostile to Caesar
- Hostility to Caesar led by Cato
- By 50, Caesar is outmaneuvered
- Can't secure re-election by legal means
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