Significance of Pompey's career? (1 Viewer)

[ThreeOne]

Aside from being a large contributing factor to the success of Caesar's career and the downfall of the repulic, are there any other important impacts resulting from Pompey's career?

 

[nathank111]

im doing my ext history major work on Pompey's ambitions regarding the overthrow of the republic and to reply to your query yes he was very important in the late republic. See his use and abuse of military power, the weakening of senatorial prestige with popular politics, reaffirming the success of popular generals and lending weight to Theodore Mommsen's thesis of the 'Establishment of the Military Monarchy'. Also you mentioned the success of Caesar. IF you are doing Caesar as a personality we see that Pompey was essential was Caesar's rise to the top, he had all the cards coming into the conference of Luca and yet, as Caesar gained the most from this deal, we see that Caesar is the dominant political figure in the triad. Pompey appears to be a weak and shallow character and this helps to establish the reason for Caesar having no fears of defeat crossing the Rubicon against his former ally. the senate overrated Pompey's ability and underestimated Caesar's. Pompey's career, more than anything else shows how the Republic was nearing its end. Although orginally a general of Sulla's he probably did the most damage to Sulla's constitution. His special commands, exceptions from both mos maiorum and cursus honorum are examples of mimicking the precedents set by Sulla's march on Rome. Not only did Lepidus try a 'counter-revolution' (Scullard) but the Cataline conspiracy and Pompey's threat of force show both the weakness of the senate and constitution and the dire straights the republican system had found itself in thanks to Marius' proletariat army. His career caused the senate's resoluteness against threats to the constitution and by being at variance the optimate senate the stern opposition of Cato and co. could come into existance which we know caused Caesar a great pain in the rear. So Pompey is basically the shadow of Caesar, he couldnt exist as a popular general while Caesar was off in Gaul and he could only exist as a saviour of the republic because of Caesar (i mean later - 52 consulship and after). However, on the other hand, without Pompey Caesar would never have had the support in order to get Caesar their in the first place and without defeating Pompey decisively at Pharsalus Caesar could never have taken position as master of Rome. I think it was Cassius Dio that mentions Pompey, having placed Caesar in a position of power thought it would be simple to bring him down again. IT's because of the rivalry for the position of princeps that Pompey becomes Caesar's adversary and it is because of Pompey's change in alliance that Caesar finds his dignitas and political existance in jeopardy... thus the beginning of the civil war.

For your work i suggest reading many different sources as your interpretation may differ greatly from mine, besides i have forgotten exactly which of the sources i used to get to this interpretation and so cant back up my arguments so well... i have noted them in my major work but not here, sorry.

hope this helped anyway

 

[Ennaybur]

i think he made gay popular