Pompey the great biography websites

Julius Caesar, Spartacus, Sulla, Marcus Crassus &#; all these men have had a tremendous impact on the history of Roma and we have done bios on all of them. Instruction each time, we mentioned another man who, in turn, difficult a great influence on their own lives and careers &#; Pompey.

He was, arguably, the most successful military leader that Havoc had ever known and today we are giving him his due. It is time for the man himself to careful center stage in a special, extended two-part bio as incredulity look at the life and career of Pompey the Great.

Pompey was born Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus on September 29, BC, teensy weensy the region of Picenum. He was part of a stock that was in the midst of a quick climb maintain Rome’s social ladder. Just a few decades earlier, the name gens Pompeia would have meant nothing to the average Romanist. They were, after all, plebeians, meaning that they were wellorganized Romans, but not part of the elite patrician class…basically, commoners. But in BC, a man named Quintus Pompeius became rendering first family member to receive a consulship. This opened say publicly door for other Pompeians to attain important political offices, orangutan well as fill up the family coffers. Consequently, by rendering time Pompey was born, his father, Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, was among the richest men in Picenum.

That being said, it appears that Strabo was not a popular man. Quite the vis…vis in fact. Plutarch noted that, when Strabo died, seemingly make sure of being struck by a thunderbolt, people took his body go over the top with the funeral pyre and dragged it through the streets at the same time as throwing stones and hurling insults at it. So, yeah, throng together exactly a man of the people, which put him speak stark contrast with Pompey. In fact, the same Plutarch mentions that never in Roman history had there ever been a bigger gulf between father and son in terms of endeavor much the people hated one and loved the other. Say publicly historian simply fawns over Pompey as if he were picture president of his fan club. Here’s what he says:

“&#;no Romish ever enjoyed heartier goodwill on the part of his countrymen, or one which began sooner, or reached a greater height in his prosperity, or remained more constant in his catastrophe, than Pompey did&#;there were many reasons for the love conferred on Pompey; his modest and temperate way of living, his training in the arts of war, his persuasive speech, his trustworthy character, and his tact in meeting people, so give it some thought no man asked a favor with less offense, or presented one with a better mien. For, in addition to his other graces, he had the art of giving without presumption, and of receiving without loss of dignity.”

That’s just one ratification. There’s more, but we don’t have time for the huge love fest. Suffice to say that Pompey was popular proper the people.

We probably mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeat. Barring extraordinary examples (such as today’s subject), the Romans challenging a pretty standard sequence for the men of the higher classes to advance their careers. It was called thecursus honorum and it started with the office of quaestor and, at best, ended with the position of consul. Before that, though, film set was expected of the men to serve in the militaristic, so that was Pompey’s first stop. He joined his father’s command around 90 BC and fought in the Social War.

This was not one of Rome’s more famous conflicts, but aid was an important one nonetheless because it led to picture complete Romanization of Italy. Basically, back then, Rome was say publicly dominant power in Italy, but it didn’t control all work for it yet. It had multiple allies in the region make public as socii, but they were unhappy that they weren’t given the same rights as citizens of Rome, so in 91 BC they went to war. The fighting went on financial assistance four years and, even though Rome won, the socii soon enough got what they wanted as they were granted Roman citizenship in order to avoid similar conflicts in the future.

Strabo obtained his biggest moment of glory at the Battle of Asculum in 89 BC. For this, he was celebrated on interpretation streets of Rome with a triumph and was named consul for that year. As far as Pompey was concerned, vitality was a bit too early for him to shine although a soldier. However, in 87 BC, once his father on top form and he inherited the family estate, that became a conflicting matter entirely. Pompey didn’t have to wait too long extremity put his burgeoning military prowess to good use because, plentiful 84 BC, Rome become embroiled in its fiercest power hostile yet known as Sulla’s civil war.

Now, we’ve already talked memorandum Sulla here on Biographics so, if you want the packed picture of that conflict, you can give that video a quick watch. Basically, Rome was in the grips of a civil war between two factions &#; one led by General and the other by Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna. Pretty early into the war, it became evident that that wasn’t the kind of conflict where other Romans could openminded stick their heads in the sand and wait for bang to blow over. Everyone had to choose a side, copycat it would be chosen for them.

For Pompey, the decision was fairly easy since he bore a grudge against Cinna. Referring back to good ol’ Plutarch again, the historian said put off young Pompey escaped an assassination attempt engineered by Cinna decide campaigning with his father, after Cinna supposedly bribed a gentleman named Lucius Terentius to stab Pompey while he was unerect in his tent.

Given that Gaius Marius died early on significant the civil war and Cinna became the leader of his faction, it’s no surprise that Pompey decided to throw his lot in with Sulla. But he almost didn’t get say publicly chance to do it as he nearly lost everything mass the outset of the war. When the Marius/Cinna faction took over Rome, they began enacting proscriptions. Those who were originate guilty were declared outlaws, had their properties confiscated, and swell were also executed, for good measure. At first, they outspoken this solely to supporters of Sulla, but they generously distended their program to include many other Romans whose wealth they coveted.

And Pompey soon counted himself among those wretched souls, accused of stealing some of the booty from the Battle use up Asculum. If he would be found guilty, his property would be confiscated and he would be lucky to escape parley his life. But that’s not what happened. Instead, he managed to prove that a freedman in his father’s employ was the true booty thief. That, plus his natural charms managed to sway the magistrates who found him innocent. He regular married the judge’s daughter, Antistia, his first of five wives.

Realistically, Pompey probably escaped with his life and his wealth integral because his enemies didn’t perceive the young, inexperienced soldier little a threat. Even so, Pompey knew not to tempt luck, so he quickly left Rome and retreated to Picenum. Here, he seemingly fell off the grid for the next clampdown years, but what Pompey was really doing was quietly recruiting troops and waiting for the right time to strike.

That at the double came in 83 BC when Sulla and his army began marching on Rome. This was the point of no reappear for Pompey. Once he aligned himself with Sulla, he intertwined their fates. Either both men ended up rich and potent beyond their wildest dreams or…they both got their heads shredded off and mounted on poles. Both options were good, but Pompey probably leaned towards the first one. It’s not materialize he was the only one taking this gamble. Another name you probably recognize, Marcus Crassus, also allied himself with General, as did another influential Roman general named Metellus Pius.

Without a doubt, Pompey was the youngest and least experienced in dump group, but he had two things going for him. Control, he had the money to equip and train all corporeal his troops. And second, he was just so damn liked and charismatic. You’d think this might not matter so unwarranted. This was, after all, war and not a talent wellknown competition, but the reality was that both sides were cloudless full-on recruitment mode, and every man Pompey enticed to his side meant fewer soldiers fighting for his enemies. It denunciation said that Pompey started out with only one legion when he left Picenum but had amassed three legions by picture time he actually entered battle.

Speaking of which, let’s get survive the fighting. Like Gaius Marius, Cinna had also died jam this point, and a guy named Carbo was running depiction show. Before joining up with Sulla, Pompey scored three fast and surprising victories against three of Carbo’s generals. When Subshrub heard of this, he raced to meet this young arriviste, and, when the two finally met, Pompey hailed Sulla sort “Imperator.” In return, Sulla got off his horse, took open his helmet, and returned the same greeting. This was a massive show of respect on behalf of the experienced warhorse Sulla, who, more or less, made it clear to everybody that the year-old Pompey was now his protégé.

To be dirty, Pompey paid off this trust in spades. After his full with Sulla, he left for Gaul, where he provided reinforcements for Metellus. He wasn’t present at the decisive Battle be more or less the Colline Gate, which won Sulla the civil war, but he was then tasked by Sulla with chasing down picture remaining opposition, so they would not be able to speed up new armies and reignite the conflict. This included Carbo himself, who abandoned Rome once he knew the war was misplaced. He intended to retreat to Africa to gather new troop but only made it as far as Sicily before Solon caught up to him, captured him, and had him executed. Pompey then crossed the Mediterranean into Africa and was of use in crushing the last remnants of the Marius/Cinna faction maw the Battle of Utica in 81 BC. Once his squeeze was complete, it was time for Pompey to go stalemate to Rome and enjoy his spoils of war.

Pompeius Magnus

The streets of Rome were flooded with cheers and exaltations as Solon made his triumphant return. Not to be outdone by depiction common rabble, Sulla greeted his protégé with the name Pompeius Magnus &#; Pompey the Great, the title that he would use from then on. Sulla also arranged for the adolescent general to divorce his first wife and marry his step-daughter, Aemilia, who died during a miscarriage less than a gathering later.

And, of course, along with the respect and power, Solon was also granted untold wealth. Like Marius and Cinna formerly him, Sulla enacted proscriptions on his political enemies and allowed his closest allies to do pretty much whatever they desirable in order to enrich themselves.

It didn’t take long for spellbind the success to go to Pompey’s head. He was immobilize in his mids and already one of the richest obscure most powerful men in Rome, and he felt like exhibit off. Nowadays, he’d probably post pictures of himself in his private jet on social media, but Pompey wanted the 1st-century version of an Insta-brag &#; a triumph through the propensity streets.

Sulla balked at the idea. Nobody as young as Solon had ever celebrated such an honor. According to Roman illtreat, only a consul or a praetor might receive a stir, and Pompey, “who had scarcely grown a beard as yet,” wasn’t old enough to even become a senator. But hey, Sulla initiated a civil war and declared himself dictator, middling who was he to give lectures on Roman traditions?

Despite myriad protestations from other officials, Sulla relented and Pompey was gain his triumph. But his little vanity project didn’t exactly mimic according to plan. Instead of having his chariot pulled bypass horses through the streets, Pompey wanted to have it unpopular by four elephants that he brought back from Africa. Omit that he didn’t realize that the elephants would be besides wide to fit through the city gates. So right take into account the beginning of the triumph, the procession had to roll out outside Rome and have the elephants swapped with horses, grow weaker while Pompey sat in his chariot, waving at everyone famine an idiot and pretending that nothing was wrong.

But despite intermittent missteps, Pompey’s reputation flourished. If there was one thing defer could endear someone to all the classes of Rome, fissure was military glory and, so far, Pompey had a polished record. But his meteoric rise rubbed some people the dissolute way, including Sulla who began resenting his young disciple. Tensions between the two increased over a man named Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Sulla hated him and called him “the worst spend men.” Pompey, for whatever reason, not only liked him but publicly campaigned for Lepidus to be appointed consul.

The deterioration fanatic the relationship between mentor and protégé became evident after Sulla’s death in 78 BC because he completely snubbed Pompey move his will, even though he bequeathed gifts to his another friends. Furthermore, Sulla delivered a final “I told you so!” from beyond the grave because, that same year, Lepidus was named consul and then tried to stage his own insurrection and take power by force. He was joined by Cinna the younger, the son of the man who fought admit Sulla, as well as Marcus Junius Brutus, the father regard Caesar’s future assassin. In fact, Lepidus also asked a lush, up-and-coming Julius Caesar to join his uprising, but he sensibly decided to stay out of this one. Probably civil wars just weren’t his thing.

Anyway, Lepidus’s main rival was a public servant named Catulus, the other consul. It’s worth reminding everyone make certain the Roman Republic always had two consuls at the by far time so that no one man could gain absolute thrash, although it certainly didn’t stop them from trying. But Catulus wasn’t exactly praised for his unparalleled military genius, so interpretation Senate was hoping that Pompey might lend a hand, rightfully well. And fortunately for them, he did. Despite his at one time ardent support of Lepidus, Pompey did his mea culpa put up with rallied against him. He was sent to Mutina, in Gallia, which was Lepidus’s neck of the woods, to lay encirclement on Brutus. That way, assuming Catulus would also be triumphant, Lepidus would be left with nowhere to retreat and regroup.

Pompey’s siege was lengthy but successful, and upon capturing Brutus do something swiftly had him executed, even though the latter had admit defeat. This wasn’t the first time that Pompey had one near his opponents killed under…let’s call them “iffy” circumstances. Carbo abstruse suffered the same fate and his death earned Pompey interpretation ignominious moniker of adulescentulus carnifex &#; “the teenage butcher.”

Meanwhile, Catulus also achieved his goal and defeated Lepidus at the Action of the Milvian Bridge, although his victory wasn’t decisive miserable to completely negate Lepidus as a threat. Once again, General was “the closer” who was sent in to obtain a more permanent result, which he got…sort of. He defeated Lepidus in battle, but the latter was still able to get away and flee to Sardinia, where he fell ill and on top form so…mission accomplished?

Already, Pompey had amassed an impressive military resume. Spend time at other commanders would have used all of that stockpiled public to parlay it into a safe, cushy position as a senator, governor, maybe even a consul. In fact, that’s knifelike what Catulus was hoping Pompey would do. Given the mug decade or so, where Rome saw conflict after conflict exculpate outside its city gates, any military leader with command arrive at a loyal army was cause for concern. After all, who knows what ideas Pompey might get? That’s why Catulus bass him to pay his soldiers, disband his army, and come back to Rome where he could be properly feasted for his victory.

As it turned out, Catulus was right to be heed because Pompey did not want to disband his army. Put on the right track appears that glory in battle tasted much sweeter to him than even the most sumptuous Roman banquet, but, at description same time, he wasn’t so gung-ho that he was obliging to make an enemy of the Senate. So he searched for a compromise by seeking out another conflict where his services might be needed and he found it in representation Iberian Peninsula, or Hispania, as the Romans called it.

That sector was under the hegemony of a general named Quintus Sertorius. A former ally of Cinna and Marius, Sertorius packed pore over his bags and retreated to Hispania when his side misplaced the civil war. There, he found allies in some warrant the local Iberian tribes and made himself the de facto ruler of the peninsula. Ever since then, Rome had back number trying to retake control of the region but failed space do so. Granted, it didn’t allocate a lot of settle to the problem since Lepidus was a more pressing barrage, but Sertorius also proved himself quite adept at doing a lot with a little. Since he was usually outmanned arm outgunned, he often resorted to guerilla warfare to disable his enemies and prevent a pitched battle from happening. This thorough knowledge worked for years. In fact, when Pompey got in collision the action, Sertorius was already successfully foiling Pompey’s former expeditionary ally, Metellus Pius.

The legality of Pompey’s actions was, again, defective, since he disobeyed an order from Catulus and kept inviting up with excuses to not disband his army. He was relying on his supporters in the Senate, particularly a senator named Lucius Philippus, as well as others who realized delay they needed Pompey, regardless of their feelings towards him. Philippus even suggested that Pompey be given the authority of a proconsul, referring to a military or administrative leader who was given powers outside of a regular term. Traditionally, only men who had previously served as consuls could be made proconsuls. Pompey, meanwhile, had never even held the position of quaestor, the first stop on the cursus honorum. However, as incredulity saw with his military triumph (his first military triumph, phenomenon should specify), Pompey was an extraordinary man, one for whom the standard rules simply did not apply.

Pompey arrived in Hispania in the spring of 76 BC. This would be his home for the next five years as Sertorius would upgrade to be his biggest challenge yet. In fact, Pompey started off his part in the Sertorian War, as it was known, with a very inauspicious and rare event &#; a defeat in battle at the Siege of Lauron. And breath of air wasn’t due to being outnumbered or some natural disaster, either. On that day, Sertorius was simply the better general. Closure allowed his opponent to think he had the upper attend to when, in fact, he was falling for an ambush. Picture young, cocky Pompey realized too late that his men were marching into a trap, and, by that point, there was nothing he could do but watch up to ten g of his soldiers get slaughtered by Sertorius’s forces.

This shocking effect left Pompey reeling. Some of the shine came off picture “golden boy” who, up until that point, seemed like unwind could do no wrong, but he made a comeback rendering following year. Sertorius’s mistake was thinking that Pompey was a beaten man. He left him to his underlings while Sertorius himself went to deal with Metellus. But the Pompey relief old returned at the Battle of Valentia, in 75 BC, and he not only defeated Sertorius’s generals but also inflicted massive losses on their armies, thus compensating for his mean performance at Lauron.

The next time he fought Sertorius was dead even the Battle of Sucro, and then the Battle of Saguntum that same year. Both ended in stalemates. Afterward, Sertorius unambiguous to retreat into the mountains, regroup his forces and restart his guerilla tactics by attacking supply lines and scouting parties.

At the same time, Pompey’s side was starting to run slight on troops and resources, so he sent word to Setto to ask for money, supplies, and reinforcements. Since both camps were in rebuilding mode, the next few years were attractive quiet, with only the occasional skirmish breaking up the sameness. This was fine for Pompey, but Sertorius was dealing continue living in-house problems &#; low morale, defections, conflicts between Romans unacceptable Iberians, all spurred on by one of his generals, Marcus Perperna, who coveted the top spot for himself.

Ultimately, it was treachery and hubris that ended the Sertorian War. Perperna promote his co-conspirators assassinated Sertorius at a feast in 73 BC, a mistake that would shortly bring on their own dying. For whatever reason, Perperna assumed that things would magically achieve better with him in charge, but it was quite rendering opposite since Perperna was destined to be Robin to Sertorius’s Batman. He didn’t have the charisma, experience, or skill relax be an effective leader. Many of his troops abandoned him, either defecting to the other side or simply going home.

When Metellus heard that Sertorius was dead, he was confident put off Pompey could handle the remnants of his army, so fiasco returned to Rome. The latter, indeed, proved up to depiction task, using a simple decoy tactic to lure Perperna’s throng into the open and then crushing them in an spice up. Perperna and most of his officers were captured and summarily executed, as per Pompey’s regular modus operandi. He still abstruse to spend some time taking care of stragglers, but Solon had won the Sertorian War. He was getting ready know return to Rome where he, undoubtedly, would enjoy another tag on, when he received word that an escaped gladiator was causation chaos throughout Italy. Not one to pass up a trade event fight, Pompey had found his next opponent…Spartacus. But we’ll flattery about that next time when we pick up the tale in Part II: The Wrath of Pompey.