POMPEY, pom'pi (CNEIUS surnamed the Great (Magnus) : b. 30 Sept. 1 B.C. • d. 28 Sept. 48 a. c. In 98,87 s.c. he served in the Social War with great distinction. For some years subsequently the party of Marius was in the ascendant in Italy, and Pompey, who belonged to the aristocratic party, kept in the background. Learning,' however, that Sulla was about to return from Greece to Italy, he hastened into Picenum, and raised an army of three legions, with which he successively de feated three generals of the opposite party, who attempted to prevent his junction with Sulla. That junction' was accomplished in 83, and Sulla received the young soldier with the great est marks of esteem. When the war in Italy ended, Pompey was sent to Sicily against the Marian general. He won a complete and speedy victory, and on his return was received by the people with great enthusiasm, and greeted with the surname of Magnus. He was also granted a triumph, a noteworthy distinc tion for one who had as yet held no public office. he induced the Senate to send him to the aid of Metellus Pius, hard pressed by Sertorius in Spain. Pompey re mained in Spain (76-71), but neither he nor Metellus could gain any advantage over Serto rius. But when the latter was treacherously murdered by Perperna, his own officer, the war was speedily brought to a close. On his return he defeated the fragments of the army of Spartacus, and claimed the glory of having fin ished the Servile War. He now became a can didate for the consulship, and although he was not of the legal age, and had not held any of the lower offices of the state, he was elected consul with Crassus at the end of 71. The aristocracy began to look upon Pompey with jealousy, and ceased to regard him as belonging to their party, as he and his colleague openly courted the people — Crassus, by profuse largesses, and Pompey by the restoration of the tribuneship and other popular institutions. In 67 he was invested with extraordinary powers by sea and land for three years, for the purpose of putting an end to the outrages of the pirates in the Mediterranean, in which he was successful. Meanwhile the war against Mithridates had been carried on with varying fortune, and the Romans were discontented with the slow prog ress of Lucullus. The tribune, Caius Manaus, proposed that Pompey should have absolute power over the army and fleet in the East, and proconsular authority over all Asia as far as Armenia, a proposal supported by Cicero in the famous oration 'Pro Lege Manilia.' It was opposed by the whole influence of the aris tocracy, but carried triumphantly. In 65-62 he conquered Mithridates; Tigranes, king of Ar menia; and Antiochus, king of Syria. At the same time he subdued the Jewish nation, tak ing Jerusalem by storm after a three months' siege. He returned to Italy in 62, and dis banded his army, but did not enter Rome till the following year, when he had the honor of a third triumph. From this date, when he was
45, his star began to wane. The aristocracy still distrusted him, yet he was unwilling to throw in his lot entirely with the popular party, which had been steadily rising in power during his absence, and over which Caesar now pos sessed unlimited control. The Senate refused to sanction his measures in Asia, and to make an assignment of lands which he had promised to his veterans. Pompey, therefore, resolved to ally himself closely with Caesar, who promised to obtain the ratification of his acts provided Pompey would assist him in the attainment of his ends. Through the mediation of Caesar Pompey became reconciled to Crassus, who, in consequence of his enormous wealth, had a wide influence in Rome. Thus was brought about the coalition of these three powerful men, which is known in Roman history as the first triumvirate. In order to tighten the bonds of alliance Caesar bestowed upon Pompey his daugh ter Julia in marriage. It was soon apparent that this alliance mould not last long, as Pom pey could brook no rival. The death of Julia in 54 severed one of the ties which bound the two men, soon to become open rivals. In con sequence of the serious tumults which broke out in Rome on the death of Clodius in the be ginning of 52, the Senate called in the assistance of Pompey, who was appointed sole consul for that year, and who succeeded in restoring order in the city. The most important state offices were now filled with Caesar's enemies, and Pom pey persuaded the Senate to pass a decree by which Caesar was to give up the provinces of which he was governor, and the command of his army. This he refused to do unless Pom pey would throw up his offices, which was a step the latter would not take. Caesar was pro claimed an enemy to the state, and his rival was appointed general of the army of the republic. Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49, and in 60 days was master of Italy without striking a blow. Pompey fled to Greece, where he col lected a numerous army, and was followed by Caesar in January 48. At first the campaign was in Pompey's -favor; Caesar was repulsed before Dyrrhachium with considerable loss, and was compelled to retreat toward Thessaly. In this country, on the plains of Pharsalia, oc curred the decisive battle which made Cesar master of the Roman world. His rival fled to Egypt, where he was murdered in the presence of the king and his army by the tribune Sep-. timius, at the instigation of Achillas and He rodotus, who feared the anger of Caesar. His head was struck off, and was shown to Caesar, who, however, ordered the murderer to be put to death. Consult his life in Druman's schichte Rotas,' iv, 324-556; Merivale, 'The Roman Triumvirates (1887).