1. ROME
Caesar and
Pompey -
Political
Competition and
responsibility for
outbreak of the
Civil War
Political
Developments in
the Late Republic

2. Political
Competition and
responsibility for
outbreak of the
Civil War

3. Background: Political Competition
and responsibility for outbreak of the
Civil War
Caesar had success in Gaul against
Vercingetorix and asked that his command
be continued to the end of 49BC. He had
achieved a great deal in his nine years in
Gaul.
Suetonius tells us that Caesar’s actions in
Gaul and efforts in Briton were outstanding
as he brought together about 640 000
square miles and increased Rome’s annual
income by400000 gold pieces. He began
building a new Forum with his spoils from
Gaul and that he organised gladiatorial
games and a public banquet in honour of his
daughter Julia.
The Senate was frightened by his support
and popularity.
Vercingetorix throws down his arms at
the feet of Julius Caesar

4. The consul M Marcellus suggested that a
replacement for Caesar be found soon
because the Gallic war was over. It was
popular but illegal as it would have
disregarded the law Of Pompey and Crassus
of 55BC on Caesar’s behalf. Marcellus
continued to target Caesar and try and
humiliate him. He had some of Caesar’s
allies, some Transalpine Gauls who
Caesar had treated as Citizens, beaten.
Many other motions were also targeted at
Caesar including stopping the tribune’s veto
on the law about offices, the retirement of
some of Caesar’s soldiers however these
were vetoed by tribunes loyal to Caesar. Gold stater of Vercingetorix

5. By 50BC Caesar needed more support. In
order to gain this support he organised to
pay the debts of the tribune G. Scribonius
Curio. He now fought for Caesar in Rome
by Vetoing any discussion of Caesar’s
replacement. He then proposed that
Pompey should give up his extraordinary
command at the same time as Caesar.
Curio may have known (at least according
to the source DIO) that Pompey would
refuse and this would give Caesar an
excuse for refusing to dismiss his troops as
well. This motion was rejected and Caesar
became more and more suspicious of
Pompey who proposed Caesar leave
His province by 13th Nov

6. Curio vetoed this. Caesar was not prepared
to accept Pompey’s superiority. He once
again proposed that both men give up their
commands in order to preserve the
balance Of power in the state and reduce
the tension.
At this time there was a threat of war in
Syria. Rome needed more troops to fight
this war. The senate decided to decree that
Caesar and Pompey should both sacrifice a
legion And send them to the east to fight.
It was fair in principal but not in practice.
Pompey had previously lent Caesar a
legion. At this point Pompey asked for that
legion back to send them to the east.
Effectively Caesar had to send two troops
and Pompey none. To make It even worse
for Caesar, when the war didn’t happen the
legions were kept in Italy which Strengthen
Pompey’s position further

7. At this point Pompey fell seriously ill.
When he recovered the people of Rome
were joyous. Unfortunately Pompey
confused this admiration with power. It
made him overconfident and dismissive
of Caesar.
In December Curio urged that a vote be
taken on the proposal that both men
resign their commands. For the senators
dreading another civil war this was a
reasonable suggestion. The vote in the
senate resulted in 370 for Curio’s
proposal and twenty-two against. The
extreme 22 optimates reacted! C
Marcellus (the consul 50BC) dismissed
the Senate and spread rumours that
Caesar was marching on Rome. He
placed a sword in Pompey’s hands and
demanded that he defend the state and
gather troops. Pompey hesitated but
agreed in the end.

8. Curio left to join Caesar at the end of 50.
Caesar still had supporters in Rome
however. Marcus Antonius (Antony) and
Cassius, tribunes for 49, continued to work
for Caesar. Cicero tried to negotiate
between the groups.
In 49BC Antony read a letter from Caesar to
the Senate. Caesar wrote that the
commanders (himself and Pompey) should
give up their powers at the same time. He
said that it was unfair and unreasonable to
expect him to surrender his post while
Pompey kept his. He knew the only reason
that the Optimates wanted him to give up
his powers is that the Optimates wanted to
prosecute him for his actions as consul.
Caesar threatened to make civil war if
Pompey did not comply.

9. The moderates in the senate were angry.
The tone of the letter was threatening. But
they were still keen for peace. Unfortunately
Lentulus, the consul for 49BC, declared that
he would override the senate if they tried to
adopt a policy of reconciliation with Caesar.
Pompey’s father in law Scipio Metellus
proposed that Caesar had to give up his
army by January 7th or be declared a public
enemy. At this point it was clear that the
efforts of Antony, Cassius and Cicero at
reconciliation had failed.
On January 7th the senate warned Antony
and Cassius to leave and Cato, Lentullus and
Scipio had the senate declare a state of
emergency. They were then able to pass the
SCU. Pompey and the consuls assumed
control of Rome, Antony and Cassius left
Rome quickly and fled to join Caesar. Those
senators that supported Caesar fled as well.
Caesar crosses the Rubicon

10. Caesar had a choice – to end all his
political hopes and face prosecution or
use force and reverse the situation. His
response – On the 10th Jan 49BC he
crossed the Roman frontier leading
one legion at the River Rubicon, and so
doing committed Rome to civil war –
“Alea iacta est The die is cast”
The senate didn’t realise that Caesar
only had one legion. There was
widespread panic. People believed that
the republic was dead. Pompey
escaped to Capua with his supporters,
the optimates and the consuls. Even
though the escaped Rome, they were
able to send out two legions.
The war was long and drawn out.
Caesar suggested on numerous
occasions that both men put down
their swords, but Pompey refused.
Caesar crosses the Rubicon

11. Caesar Returned to Rome
in December of 49 BC, and
was appointed dictator,
with Mark Antony as his
Master of the Horse.
Caesar kept his
dictatorship for eleven
days, tenure sufficient to
win him a second term as
consul with Publius
Servilius Vatia Isauricus as
his colleague. Afterwards,
Caesar renewed pursuit of
Pompey, then in Roman
Greece.
Coin of Caesar (as dictator
perpetuo)

12. Ptolemey’s army attacked Caesar at Alexandria
but he quickly defeated them and placed
Cleopatra on the throne. Caesar and Cleopatra
never married, due to Roman law that
prohibited a marriage with a non-Roman citizen
but they had a child Caesarion (Ptolemy XV
Caesar)
At one point Pompey escaped to Egypt.
Unfortunately for Pompey it wasn’t the safe
haven that he believed it could be. He was
murdered by an officer of King Ptolemy XIII.
Caesar had been following Pompey’s army and it
led to his famous role in the Alexandrine civil
war - a war between Ptolemy and his
sister/wife/co-regent – Cleopatra. Caesar sided
with Cleopatra. Maybe he was enthralled by her
beauty or perhaps he chose not to side with
Ptolemy due to his involvement in the death of
Pompey - he is reported to have wept at the
sight of Pompey's head, which was offered to
him by Ptolemy's chamberlain Pothinus as a gift.
Caesar is presented
with Pompey’s head in
a painting by Giovanni
Antonio Pellegrini

13. After spending some months in Egypt
Caesar needed to continue fighting –
the war had not ceased with the
death of Pompey. During the
remaining years of the civil war
Caesar fought Pharnaces (where his
victory was so quick that he wrote “I
came, I saw, I conquered”) as well as
campaigns in Africa and against Cato
Pompey’s sons and supporters
escaped to Hispania. Caesar followed
and in the battle of Munda (March
45BC) he finally defeated the last of
his opposition. During this time,
Caesar was elected to his third and
fourth terms as consul in 46 BC (with
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus) and 45 BC
(without colleague). He then became
Dictator perpetuo (Perpetual
Dictator) of Rome.

14. ROME
Caesar and
Pompey -
Political
Competition and
responsibility for
outbreak of the
Civil War
Political
Developments in
the Late Republic