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
    • People sick of violence

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