The Years 79-49 BC Flashcards
79-49 BC
years witnessing aggravation of the internal problems and a number of major wars. powerful politicians of this time were Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey), Marcus Licinius Crassus, Gaius Julius Caesar.
Pompey
106-48 BC. restored order in the Roman part of the Iberian Peninsula and reorganized the province. elected consul in 70 BC. Pompey gained major benefits from having the tribunes on his side. in 67 BC he acquired authority over all of the coastal regions and he did away with the pirates. between 66-64 BC he settled accounts with Mithridates. in 64-63 BC he reorganized Asia Minor into provinces and vassal kingdoms, annexed Syria, Judea on his own account.
Crassus
c. 112-53 BC. suppressed Spartacus’ revolt in 71 BC in a bloody battle. elected consul in 70 BC. started his career as Sulla’s second in command but went over to the popularis. he lent money to many senators and was also patron to the publicani.
Caesar
102-44 BC. Caesar rose to power in Rome. after his military campaigns in Asia Minor (82-73 BC) he followed the cursus honorum. he was a popularis. he prosecuted many of Sulla’s executioners and henchmen, admitted to his Marian sympathies. he had the favour of the lower classes but he did plunge into deep debt. in 61 BC (while being a governor in Northern Spain) he won a war against the last free tribes. between 58-50 BC he conquered all of Gaul up to the Rhine. his army was the best trained and most disciplined of those days.
Spartacus; slave revolt
73-71 BC. pillaging slaves roamed Italy, led by Spartacus. the biggest slave revolt Italy had seen and also the last major one as after 71 BC some things regarding slave-keeping changed.
Pompey, Crassus, Caesar
in 70 BC Pompey and Crassus undid the restrictions Sulla had imposed on the tribunate. the resentments against these three increased amongst the optimates. in 63 BC the senate crushed a conspiracy led by Catilina who tried to overthrow his opposers by organizing a coalition of discontent parties all over Italy. It was revealed by Cicero.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
106-43 BC. a consul and a new man, made a successful career in politics thanks to his great rhetorical skills and the support of a number of important nobiles. he often opposed the populares but the optimates thought little of him because of his origins. originally he supported Pompey but after 60 BC he aimed to steer a middle course.
the first Triumvirate
in 60 BC the three main politicians privately agreed to assist one another. they secured the selection of Caesar for consulship in 59 BC. Caesar made sure that a bill was passed that allowed Pomepy’s veterans land. Caesar also made sure he got the important command in Gaul. renewed in 56 BC; Crassus got himself a command against the Parthians but he lost in 53 BC and died.
motivations of each party to agree to the triumvirate
Pompey: he wanted arrangements ratified in the senate and wanted land for his veterans.
Crassus: he was the cements between the other two and thus the least important one in terms of political influences.
Caesar: wanted a consulship and a triumph but doing both at the same time was logistically impossible.
chaos in Rome
Rome was a seat for political struggle that involved mob violence and political mock trials. Clodius was responsible for inciting much violence to get some bills passed. Pompey was granted special powers in 57 and 52 BC by the senate to launch a counterattack against Clodius’ actions. in 52 BC Pompey and the optimates started to grown closer to one another in fear of Caesars growing powers.
Publius Clodius
a demagogue who saw the critical situation in Rome as a perfect chance to acquire more power. he was a nobilis born into a patrician family. he left this status to become a plebeian tribune. his greatest support came from among the collegia.
