Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (29 September 106 BC-28 September 48 BC) was a Consul of the Roman Republic from 70 to 69 BC, 55 to 54 BC, and from 52 to 51 BC, Governor of Hispania Ulterior from 58 to 55 BC, and a member of the First Triumvirate (alongside Marcus Licinius Crassus and Julius Caesar) from 60 to 53 BC. Pompey was one of Rome's greatest generals and politicians, but, in a civil war between his conservative Optimates and Caesar's populist Populares from 49 to 45 BC, he was defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus and was murdered after fleeing to Egypt.
Biography[]
Pompey in 73 BC
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus was born in Picenum, Italia, Roman Republic in 106 BC, the son of Pompeius Strabo. Although from a rich family, he displayed the dynamic opportunism of a self-made man. Sulla's return from Asia in 83 BC regenerated civil war with Gaius Marius' former supporters. Pompey raised an army at his own expense and led it vigorously in support of Sulla. With Sulla installed as dictator in Rome, Pompey's reward was to command first in Sicily and then in North Africa.
After Sulla's retirement in 80 BC, Pompey remained an active supporter of the status quo against various revolts. For five years he campaigned in Spain, defeating the forces of the rebel general Sertorius. He returned to Italy in 71 BC in time to take much of the credit for crushing Spartacus' slave revolt. Pompey was made consul alongside Marcus Licinius Crassus the following year and became a popular hero. He confirmed his reputation by clearing the Mediterranean of pirates in an organized, wide-ranging naval campaign in 67-66 BC. This was followed by four years' campaigning in Asia. There he crushed Rome's long-term enemy, King Mithridates VI of Pontus, and took Jerusalem.
Returning to Rome in 61 BC, Pompey celebrated a spectacular triumph that marked the zenith of his fame. He then ceased campaigning, settlign down to a commanding role in Roman politics as one of a triumvirate with the wealthy Crassus and the junior partner Julius Caesar. The death of Crassus in 53 BC and the rise of Caesar through his victories in Gaul set the scene for renewed civil war. When Caesar invaded Italy in 49 BC, Pompey did not try to defend Rome, but withdrew across the Adriatic to Macedonia. There he unwisely gave battle at Pharsalus and was routed.
He fled to Egypt but, as he landed, he was assassinated by Lucius Septimius on the orders of Ptolemy XIII, who feared Caesar's wrath if he gave refuge to the fleeing general. After Pompey was assassinated, the perpetrators presented his severed head and his seal to Julius Caesar. In response, Caesar had the assassins executed, as he had planned to be merciful to his son-in-law.
