Western History 43: How did the First Triumvirate emerge?

Sulla owed much of his success to the loyalty of his troops. He took Marius’ military methods a step further and used the army to dictate state politics. He was committed to using the army as a vanguard to secure his presence domestically and was ruthless in dispensing with opposition viz. the proscripto lists and the Marian Massacres. The former placed a bounty on the heads of those who stood in defiance against him with the latter directed at the pro-Marius elements who at one time were a considerable force in Rome.

The reaction to the Sullan party grew after the death of the so-called Perpetual Dictator. A revolt by Lepidus in 77 BCE started the trend that picked up steam when rebels in Spain (including a large Marian segment) under the leadership of Sertorius declared independence from Rome. The Senate was forced to act and instructed Pompey to take the initiative. He did and by 72 BCE the Spanish opposition was bought to heel.

However Rome’s problems continued with the War of the Gladiators (known as the Third Servile War).  Led by the Thracian fighter Spartacus this gladiator army beat back four Roman legions and wreaked havoc in Central Italy before being defeated by the Roman General Crassus and later by Pompey himself (who vanquished the remnants of Spartacus’ army). Pompey would also distinguish himself in the Third Mithridatic War

Pompey and Crassus would return to Rome as victors and emerge as Consuls. However Roman politics was extremely fragmented. Pompey’s would accumulate more accolades in his campaign against the Mediterranean pirates but perhaps his greatest moment as a general occurred with his capture of Jerusalem in 63 BC an event that signified the end of Jewish independence.

The great orator Cicero uncovered a conspiracy led by the senator Catiline to overthrow the Roman Republic and replace it with an aristocratic Senate. Catiline was forced to flee and for a brief point in time Rome’s march to a new oligarchy was halted.

However an informal First Triumvirate consisting of Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus would emerge as the power bloc in Rome. Crassus would lose his life campaigning against the Parthian enemy in Persia (53BCE) allowing both Caesar and Pompey to consolidate their base of strength.