Pompey the Great essays

Pompey the Great essays Pompey the Great (106-48 B.C.) was one of Romes most gifted generals. He supported Sulla in the Roman civil war of 100b.c. and from there went on to win battles in Spain, Sicily and Africa. He achieved lasting fame for sweeping the Mediterranean free of pirates in 67 b.c. The following year he defeated the asian tyrant MithradatesVI. His list of honnors also include be named consulship 3 times throughout his life and along with Caesar and Crassus he formed the first triumvirate. With the death of sulla in 79b.c. civil war looked imminent. When Lepidus revolted against the roman senate the immediate decree of senatus ultimatum was pasted giving pompey the powers of a dictator. Pompey defeated lepidus only to be faced with a new problem Quintus sertorius, who was general of the roman division in Spain. As more Roman troops joined his cause, he organized an alternative Roman governmentwith a senate,preatators and quaestors, but he longed to return home from exile. Many of the romans who had joined sertorius after lepidus revolt became foolishly resentful of his authority. Perpena carried out a conspiracy and murdered sertorius. He in turn was defeated and murdered by pompey, which brought the war to an end. Pompey granted citizenship to thode who had supported him and the treatment of sertouius spainish allies was to be considered fair and humane. Pompeys victory would have been doubtful without the murder of sertorius. His reputation in spain was more du e to his diplomatic ablility and organizational skill and his treatment of the spainards. A slave revolt led by a Thracian gladiator, sparticus brought embarressment to the roman senate. the situation had become dangerous enough to inspire real fear, and as a result both consuls were sent to deal with what was considered a major war and a most difficult one to fight. Both consuls were defeated and M. ...