I have been learning about the final years of the Roman Republic, and today I want to tell you a little about Pompey the Great.
Pompey was born on the 29th of September 106 BC into a wealthy and politically connected Roman family. His father had been a general for the Roman Republic.
Pompeys name first became prominant during the civil wars of the 80s BC, he had supported Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Pompey managed to raise his own army and also proved himself very capable. Sulla recognised his talent, and reportedly called him “Magnus,” meaning “the Great.”
Pompey built a reputation as one of Rome’s most successful commanders. He managed to clear the Mediterranean of pirates and even defeated some powerful kingdoms, that expanded the Roman influence. These victories brought him huge wealth, along with fame, and loyalty.
In 60 BC, Pompey entered into an alliance with Julius Caesar and Marcus Licinius Crassus, an arrangement that later became known as the First Triumvirate. At first, it seemed like a practical solution. Each man needed the others to secure power. But beneath the surface, there would have been tension.
The balance began to break after Crassus died and Caesar’s power grew. Pompey, who had once been allied with Caesar, found himself more and more aligned with the Senate, who feared Caesar’s influence.
In 49 BC, Caesar crossed the Rubicon to protect his power and avoid his enemies. He knew thought that it meant war. Pompey, chose to withdraw from Italy and regrouped in the east. It may have been a strategic decision, but could also could have been because of uncertainty.
At the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Caesar defeated Pompey’s forces. It was more than a military defeat, it was the collapse of everything Pompey had built. He left for Egypt, hoping for refuge and he perhaps believed that his past power would offer him some protection.
Instead of refuge he was betrayed. When he arrived, he was killed on the orders of those hoping to gain favour with Caesar.
Do you think Pompey was a victim of the changing times, or did his own choices lead him to that tragic end?
Image info:
Title: Pompey the Great
Collection: Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Venice
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