Civil war between Pompey and Caesar

Image: diogenes lantern - blogger

Since the appearance of the first Roman triumvirate, the majority of the Roman people were aware that in any moment a conflict could arise that would put their political system between a sword and a Wall. In this lesson from a TEACHER we bring you a summary of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar, That was the end of the first triumvirate and the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic because, after this conflict, we will find the dictatorship of Caesar and although after his assassination the previous political system was reorganized again, it would barely last a few years more.

Index

1. The origin of the dispute
2. The first triumvirate
3. The civil War
4. Caesar's death

This summary of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar must begin by talking about the causes that led these generals to confront each other.

After defeating Carthage in 146 BC. C., Rome practically annexed the western Mediterranean because, from then on, they decided to act on the Iberian Peninsula. Later the Macedonian conquests continued, the Seleucid Empire and Egypt fell under Roman patronage, that is, it did not take a step without Rome's consent; in this way, the Mediterranean was totally framed within the same culture.

This, far from being a great benefit for the Republic, put on the table its inability to organize the territories, originating tensions in the newly annexed territories and within the Senate itself, it was thus divided into:

• Popular: it was the reformist group within the Senate, within its points was the granting of Roman citizenship to most of the members of the Empire, in addition to giving more freedom to the annexed countries by creating assemblies.
• Conservatives / optimates: made up of the aristocracy, they did not want to give more power to the assemblies because the Senate was the only valid institution.

Between the years 80 and 63 a. C. the Roman Republic had to face a series of problems that caused its power to be greatly diminished.

First of all, the war between Marío (popular) and Sila (conservative), the first of them created an autocratic regime that blocked the power of the Senate, starting a harsh repression on the conservative sector. After this, Sila, would enter Rome with his army, appointing himself dictator and performing the same acts on the popular ones, in fact, Julius Caesar was about to be eliminated, since he was a member of the sector popular.

On the other hand, between the year 65 and 63 a. C. the conspiracy of Catilina took place, who wanted to end the republic and proclaim himself dictator. This has to be enough for us to understand that the Senate was unable to control its generals, who craved more power and more freedom of movement. All this, together with the fact that the armies began to be faithful (becoming a kind of armies private, paid for by the generals themselves) is more than enough for us to understand the decline of the Republic.

Map: odyssey - blogger

Within our summary of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar, we place ourselves between the years 60 and 53 BC. C. dates of first Roman triumvirate made up of Crassus, Pompey and Caesar, These three soldiers joined forces to take the most important positions in the Roman State.

During the course of this time, Caesar grew more and more powerful increasing his armies and gaining the support of the Roman popular classes who saw him, the glory of Rome, as he was a general who expanded the terrain of the growing Empire, in addition to quelling the revolts of the Germans.

Given this, the conservative sector of the Senate felt dread at the possible march of Caesar towards Rome with his armies, as Sulla had previously done well; in that way, they sought the support of Pompey, the only general loyal to the Senate.

To this we must see two very important factors that would result in a civil war between Pompey and Caesar:

• In the year 53 a. C. Crassus died in Parthia while he was trying to subdue said people, in this way the first triumvirate ended.
• Julia's death, Pompey's wife and Caesar's daughter, a marriage that had served to create an alliance between the two soldiers.

This made two new consuls will be appointed that, in a short time, they were branded as corrupt, starting real pitched wars within the city between the popular and conservative sectors.

This instability was compounded by Caesar's delay in returning to Rome. Said general was in the Gauls still carrying out campaigns to avoid returning to the city and losing, in this way, his magistracy from him. Faced with the support of Pompey, Caesar decided to go to Rome with the XIII legion, settling in Ravenna, before which, Pompey began to recruit soldiers without the permission of the Senate, which was seen by the popular classes as an attack against the Republic.

Likewise, Marco Antonio, Caesar's general, had been sent to the city and managed to take over the position of tribune of the plebs, to prepare for the arrival of Julio.

In this other lesson we will discover the first and second triumvirate of Rome.

Image: Slideshare

The January 10, 49 a. C. Caesar's troops crossed the Rubicon River, at which point the general would pronounce one of his famous phrases "Alea iacta est". It must be borne in mind that the war began at that time because it was forbidden to enter Italy with legions.

The most important moments of the civil war were the following:

January 16

Caesar controlled the Adriatic coast and that of Arezzo, a fact that led to the Senate of Rome leaving the city, dividing the provinces among the different loyalists to the Because, in this way, we can say that the Republic disappeared completely, since they left the city free for Caesar to take it.

This first part ended with the siege of the city of Brindisi, where Pompey and others were. senators, who sought to march from Italy to other parts of the empire and thus be able to reinforce militarily. On February 20, he laid siege to the city and two days later Pompey managed to embark and flee from Caesar.

March 29

Caesar entered Rome restructuring his defense against possible attacks, in addition to using the sacred treasure to pay for his soldiers. After this he appointed Lepidus as praetor in the city, giving what was left of the Senate no option to refuse.

After this, in August, the war began in Hispania, a province where Pompey had great power. Between August 2 and 25, a series of military movements were carried out, the result of which was the surrender of pompeian troops, without spilling a single drop of blood, all this was due to the great cunning of Caesar.

The campaigns of Greece

Whose most important point was the battle of Farsalia happened the 9 of August of the year 48 a. C. where Pompey he was defeated, although the general managed to flee to Egypt, seeking the protection of Ptolemy XIII, where he was stabbed and beheaded after reaching the shore on September 28, 48 BC. C.

In this way we can say that the war between Pompey and Caesar ended, although the Roman dictator had to continue fighting for a longer time to pacify all the provinces of the Empire.

To conclude with our summary of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar we must know that, after pacifying all the provinces, Caesar marched to Rome to undertake a series of changes, the purpose of which was the establishment of a monarchyIt was no secret that the general thought it was the only way to maintain so many territories.

Thus, a group of senators the day March 15, 44 BC C. surprised the general in the Senate, where he was stabbed. After this we will find the formation of a second triumvirate and later the beginning of the Empire with Octavio.

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