Caesar vs. Pompey The Great
Julius Caesar was born on 12 or 13 July 100 BC, in Rome. He was born to patrician family and believed to have been a descendant of Aneaus. He was First elected to military tribune, then quaestor in 69 BC and served his quaestorship in Spain. Upon returning to Rome he ran for and was elected to the position of pontifex maximus. In 63 BC he returned once again to Spain this time as a preator. His next accomplishment came in 60 BC as he became consol. Also at this time he formed the political alliance known as the First Triumvirate, the group consisted of himself, Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus. During his consulship he proposed legislation for the redistribution of public lands to the poor. Although he had supporters, Caesars bodyguards dumped excrement on his proponent Bibulus and ran him out of town. Bibulus then spent the rest of the year in hiding at his home, fearing for his life. Following his consulship Caesar was appointed a governorship, with his new power and being in debt decided to take his four legions and wage war against the Gaullic territories. Although Caesar was met with defeat in 52 BC when a Gaulic revolt led by Vercingetorix attacked his troops, Caesar was successful in conquering the region. 50 BC marked the end of his governorship and Pompey ordered Caesar to return to Rome and to disband his armies. Caesar fearing for his life chose to take his remaining troops and march across the Rubicon, an action that would serve as a catalyst for the Civil War.
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Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus or Pompey the Great as he would later be known as was born 29 September 106 BC. His father was homines novi or new man in the political world making his way through the political ranks in the carsas homroum or traditional way. Over the course of his rise to power his father would become known for his military triumphs, greed and two-time political dealings. Pompey served under his father for 2 years at the final stages of the Marsic Social War, and upon his return to Rome was accused of the misappropriations of the plunder secured by the war, however he soon was acquitted of this allegation. In 82 BC he was sent to fight in Sicily and Africa, against the Marians in which he was successful, conquering Africa by 81 BC. He was elected proconsul in 78 BC, ruling over Hispiania and having conquered the land by 71 BC. In 70 BC he was elected to consulship at age 35 mainly in part to his success as a military leader. In 67 BC with the passing of the Lex Gabinia, he led a 3 year crusade against piracy in the Mediterranean Sea. Although to what extent of his mission was accomplished was uncertain, he received a hero’s welcome in Rome on his return. Pompey’s next accomplishments came when he led a military campaign through the East, successfully conquering Bitthnia ex Pontus, Syria, Cilicia and Crete to the Roman Empire. After this he returned to Rome and in 60 BC formed the First Triumvirate, a political alliance consisting of himself, Julius Caesar and Marcus Lincinius Crassus. By 54 BC however this alliance would see a rift caused by differing political opinions and would become completely dissolved by 51 BC. It was at this point that Pompey became the sole consol of Rome, passed legislation stating that Caesar was to disband his army and return to Rome upon the completion of his campaign in the Gaullic Wars. This event is what triggered the start of the civil war in 49 BC.
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