Pompey And The Clique Struggle At The End Of The Roman Republic

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic. Pompey’s immense success as a general and eminent political status enabled him to advance directly to three consulships and three triumphs. Pompey had lived in a turbulent time that clique struggles had frequently occurred. The relationships among various political forces, included the senate, Pompey, Crassus, Caesar were so complex and mixed. The frequent clique struggles in the hierarchy were mainly centered on them. Pompey had played an important role and contributed a lot in the clique struggle of the end of the Roman Republic.This paper is divided into three parts: introduction, text and conclusion.The text is divided into five chapters to discuss Pompey’s position and influence in the clique struggle at the end of the Roman Republic.PartⅠ: Introduction to the background of the clique struggle.Pompey had lived in a time on which the Roman Republic was in a severe political crisis. At that time, Rome became the most prosperous slave country in the world through a series of wars of conquests overseas. In this circumstance, it was increasingly hard to maintain the Roman regime. In order to solve social contradictions of Rome, politicians of the optimates and populares put forward several political proposals based on their own stand. But their disputes were so intense that exacerbated the problem and finally evolved into clique struggle, which put Roman Republic on the path to destruction.PartⅡ: Discussion on the rise of Pompey in Roman politics. Pompey came from a wealthy Italian provincial background, and had a good education when he was young. His father was an eminent military commander and his career had affected Pompey since he was a little boy. During the civil war between Marius and Sulla, Pompey chose to take Sulla’s side. Pompey’s immense success as a general enabled him to advance directly to his first consulship. After that, he had won the campaign against the pirates and conquered the East. He had the illustrious military exploits that no one had ever achieved.Part Ⅲ: Discussion on the contradiction between Pompey and the senate. After the campaign against the pirates and Mithridates, Pompey had gained great influence and reputation, and he became the most powerful man in Rome. Therefore, the senate was worried that Pompey would follow the example of Sulla to seize supreme power. So they turned down Pompey’s proposal about securing land for his veterans and ratification of his acts in the East. As a result, Pompey’s resentment against the senate was growing rapidly.Part Ⅳ: The combination of Pompey and the senate. In order to secure land for his veterans and get ratification of his acts in the East, in 60 B.C., Pompey made alliance with Caesar and Crassus, as so called “First Triumvirate”. Nevertheless, Caesar had greatly reinforced his strength during the Gallic War. Pompey chose to develop a closer relationship with the senate to against Caesar and Crassus. After the death of Crassus and Julia, the relationship between Pompey and Caesar had gradually collapsed. In 48 B.C., Pompey defeated by Caesar in the battle of Pharsalus. In his way to Egypt, Pompey was assassinated.PartⅤ: Discussion on the role of Pompey at the end of the Roman Republic. The political passivity and military missteps inevitably put Pompey on the path of destruction. He was completely passive and suppressed by theoptimates and populares. Although he spent so much of his career fighting to defend the senate against its enemies, he and the aristocracy never learned to accept and trust on another. Pompey had done so much to shape the destiny of the dying republic, although unconsciously, he became one of the culprits.