Pompey
(Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus)
106–48 BCPompey started his military career fighting under his father against the Marian party , which was then in control of Rome. He was only 23 when he raised an army of 17,000 and went to join Sulla, who was immediately impressed with the young man. He later served under Sulla in Sicily and Africa, and won his first triumph and the title Magnus (the Great), when still a young man. He was sent to Spain to fight Sertorius, and he also helped put down the slave rebellion led by Spartacus. These victories established him as the foremost general of his age, and won him the consulship in 70 B.C., sharing it with his colleague Crassus.
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Pompey's greatest success, however, was in putting down the Mediterranean pirates, which had plagued Rome's merchant ships for over a generation. They had become so audacious in later years as to sail into Rome's harbor at Ostia and set boats on fire, fearing no reprisals. In a single year he raised a fleet of 300 ships and in only four months, drove all the pirates out of the sea, and took twenty thousand prisoners. Instead of killing them, however, he showed great mercy, by allowing them to settle in scantily populated provinces of Rome. Immediately after this, he was sent to the East to replace his rival Lucullus in command of the Third Mithradatic War. Although Lucullus had done most of the fighting, Mithradates killed himself shortly after Pompey took over, so he received a third victorious triumph.
Pompey spent the next decade in politics, with Caesar, Crassus, Cicero, and Cato the Younger as his sometimes rivals, sometimes allies. Although Sulla had very effectively put down the Marian party in Rome twenty years ago, it was beginning to revive under Caesar. Pompey at first sympathized with the populares party, and allied himself with Caesar. He married Caesar's daughter Julia, and formed the first triumvirate with Crassus and Caesar. But over the years he began to sympathize more with the aristocratic, or republican party, led by Cicero and Cato. By the time his wife Julia died, his relationship with Caesar was already strained, and with her death they became open rivals.
When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he knew that it wound bring about a civil war and that his chief rival would be Pompey, but his strategy was always to bring his enemies over to his side rather than to destroy them. Pompey knew that Caesar was very popular in Rome, and that the republic's greatest strength was in the East, so he fled to Greece to prepare for war. Although Caesar controlled many legions, and enjoyed great popularity, Pompey entirely controlled the navy, and so when Caesar followed Pompey to Thessaly, he had great difficulties obtaining provisions for his troops. Although neither Caesar nor Pompey desired a battle, they were forced by circumstance to fight each other at Pharsalia. Caesar's forces were victorious, and Pompey was forced to flee. He fled to Egypt and asked sanctuary from Ptolemy, but instead of harboring him, the king sent soldiers to kill him, hoping by doing so to win Caesar's favor. It was to no avail. Caesar was appalled by the crime, and buried his rival with the highest honors.
Key events during the life of Pompey:
| Fought against the Marian party at Picenum; gained respect of Sulla. | |
| Fought Marian hold-outs in Sicily and Africa; received first triumph and title Magnus (the Great). | |
| Went to Spain to try to suppress the rebellion of Sertorius. | |
| Returned to Italy to help Crassus end the slave revolt of Spartacus. | |
| Elected consul with Crassus; receives triumph for his victories in Spain. | |
| Raises fleet and systematically eliminates the pirates from the Mediterranean. | |
| Replaces his rival Lucullus as commander in Third Mithradatic War. | |
| Returned to Rome with yet another glorious triumph; senate infighting drives Pompey into alliance with Caesar. | |
| Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey form first triumvirate and divide empire into three divisions. | |
| Caesar departs for Gaul, leaving Pompey in power in Rome. | |
| Elected consul again with Crassus. | |
| Julia, wife of Pompey and daughter of Caesar dies, further straining the relationship between the rivals. | |
| Pompey receives the sole consulship. Aligns himself with the senatorial party against Caesar. | |
| Caesar crosses the Rubicon, and commences a civil war; Pompey flees to the east, leaving Italy to Caesar. | |
| Defeated by Caesar at Pharsalia; murdered by soldiers of Ptolemy in Egypt. |
Other Resources
| Pompey in | Julius Caesar by Jacob Abbott |
| Flight and Death of Pompey in | Julius Caesar by Jacob Abbott |
| Pompey in | Roman Life in the Days of Cicero by Alfred J. Church |
| Across the Euphrates in | Helmet and Spear by Alfred J. Church |
| Of Pompey the Great in | Stories from Roman History by Lena Dalkeith |
| Conqueror of Pirates in | Tales of the Romans: The Children's Plutarch by F. J. Gould |
| Pompey's Conquests in | The Story of the Romans by H. A. Guerber |
| Battle of Pharsalia in | The Story of the Romans by H. A. Guerber |
| Pompey the Great in | Famous Men of Rome by John H. Haaren & A. B. Poland |
| Pompey in | Our Young Folks' Plutarch by Rosalie Kaufman |
| Pirates in | The Story of Rome by Mary Macgregor |
| Flight of Pompey in | The Story of Rome by Mary Macgregor |
| Caesar and Pompey in | Historical Tales: Roman by Charles Morris |
| Two Young Romans in | On the Shores of the Great Sea by M. B. Synge |
Image Links | ||
|---|---|---|
 Death of Pompey in Julius Caesar |
 Pompey's Pillar in Julius Caesar |
 Pompey's Statue in Julius Caesar |
 Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus in Roman Life in the Days of Cicero |
 Pompey and Sextus in Tales of the Romans: The Children's Plutarch |
The Senators Urge Pompey to Become Dictator in Greatest Nations - Rome |
 Flight of Pompey from Pharsalia in Greatest Nations - Rome |
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| Defeated Mithradates in Greece. Marched on Rome, defeated the party of his enemy Marius. | |
| Led Rome against Mithradates in third Mithradatic War. Known for extravagant lifestyle. | |
| Led rebellion against Rome in Spain; held out for 8 years. | |
| Very wealthy general. Fought Spartacus. Formed triumvirate with Pompey and Caesar. | |
| Very renowned general. Defeated pirates. Led opposition to Caesar in civil war. | |
| Cinna | With Marius, raised an army, and took possession of Rome for populist Party. |
| Conquered Gaul, prevailed in civil war. Mastermind of Roman empire. Killed by senators. | |
| Julia Caesaria | Daughter of Julius Caesar, wife of Pompey. |