Eve of Civil War Flashcards
Caileus to Cicero (50s) - lasting peace.
I do not see peace lasting another year. The inevitable struggle approaches.
Caeilus to Cicero - Pompey on JC
Pompey is determined not to let Caesar be elected consul unless he surrenders his army.
Appian, Civil Wars
Curio states that both Pompey and Caesar should give up their armies (Senate 370 in favour).
Caesar, Civil War - Calidius
Calidius recommends that Pompey leave for his provincial command to remove cause for war. / Lentulus refuses to allow for a vote.
Caesar, Civil War - freewill
Under compulsion, unwilling and coerced.
Caesar CW - law passed
The senate state that if Caesar does not dismiss his army his actions are hostile to the Republic. // the ultimate law.
Caesar CW - Lentulus (boast)
Boasts that he will be the next Sulla.
Caesar CW - veto
Everything was done in haste. Caesar not informed of ultimatum and the tribunes refused their right to veto present even in the time of Sulla.
Caesar CW - rights and religion
All rights, divine and human were thrown into confusion - money extorted from towns and temples.
Caesar CW (1.22) reasoning
Caesar states that he does not leave with harmful intent but rather seeks to defend himself and to restore the tribunes and liberate the people from the oppression of a small faction.
Plutarch, Caesar - Rubicon
“must take advantage of the golden moment” // “amazing boldness and speed” // “let the die be cast”.
Suetonius, Caesar - excuse
Suetonius states that Caesar perhaps uses the guise of their being a lack of compromise as an excuse - Pompey claims it is due to the fact that Caesar needs turmoil because he cannot deliver on what he promised.
Suetonius, excuse II
Cato planned on the impeachment of Caesar because of the irreligiosity of his first consulship.
Suetonius - Pollio at Pharsalus
Asinius Pollio states that Caesar says this at the Battle of Pharsalus - that he goes to war to avoid trial.
Lucan
Caesar states that he leaves behind peace and legality which have been scorned already - Henceforth I follow fortune.
A chain of events -
Pompey leaves Italy for Greece. Caesar defeats his forces in Spain. Caesar defeats him at Pharsalus. Pompey flees to Egypt, killed. 46 BC Caesar defeats Cato at Thapsus. Quadruple triumph held. Final defeat at Munda (45)
Vellius Paterculus
it was Gaius Curio (..) who (..) applied the torch which kindled the Civil War.
(Steel states that he tries to keep them apart - breakdown of communication).
Steel - Pompey M contradiction.
Pompey contradicts himself legally through backing a law in 52 which allows Caesar to stand in absentia, whilst in another law stating individuals must render their candidacy in person. // Steel states this is Pompey trying to remove individual aspiration but not fall out with Caesar.
Steel on the Three
Caesar, Pompey and Crassus all tried to transcend the constraints of collective power.
Steel on 59 BCE
Steel states that 59 was a year of autocracy - rendering of his opposition impotent. Bypasses the Senate and goes straight to the people (Vatinius)
Steel - view to Civil War
As a result of Caesars imperium. Sullan model and Pompeian model.
Pompey states imperium should end in Nov 50. Caesar should stand in summer of 50 but fails to. War inevitable - Curio motion but Pompey no longer willing to negotiate.
Steel - proximate cause
The tribunal veto is proximal cause rather than ultimate which is undissipated tension.
