The First Triumvirate

Caesar, Crassus and Pompey were pop out of what is known as the First Triuvirate, a triumvirate being a effective policy-making bothiance among trinity men. Paterculus describes the triumvirate as a union of power. Cicero regarded the triumvirate as uniformly odious to all sorts and classes and ages of men Cicero to a fault regarded the political unification as the main cause for the civil state of war in 49BC. The coalition lasted for approximately seven course of studys- from or so(predicate) 60BC until 53BC. This secret, non-official alliance should non be called the first triumvirate because it was non-offical.The triumvirs- Pompey, Crassus and Caesar each(prenominal) utilize different methods in array to achieve their respective goals- whether it was for their personal interest or the interest of the political and social group of populares these men represented and were close to . Some of these change methods were effective, and some were non. from each wiz t riumvir had different aims, or a number of goals. Each man wanted to everywherehear something different from the coalition. Pompey wished for land for his veterans, as s considerably up as his eastern settlement ratified or approved en bloc, or altogether.Crassus wanted a rebate for the equestrian revenue enhancement farmers. Caesar needed a consulship for 59BC, as well as a obligation for 58BC to give scope for his military ability and in order to gain glory similarly. Caeasr passed his land bill (lex Campania) using the threat of force, ignoring the bad omens as well as ignoring the veto of Biblius, Biblius was the optimates representative and it shows the continuation of the repugn between cardinal main poltical and social classes in Rome over power, wealth and equal rights. He was Biblius the second consul. The lex Campania aimed at providing land for Pompeys veterans.Pompey was apparently unhappy with the track the law was passed. Cicero, in a earn to Atticus said reg arding Pompeys position Pompey has fenced so far with the primal questions. When asked, he said that he agreed with Caesars laws. But what about his methods? Caesar must answer that for himself, he replied. During Julius Caesars first consulship (59BC) a tribune, Vatinius was do to good use, He passed a bill and thus ratified Pompeys settlement en bloc, he gained a rebate for the equestrians in telation to the loss to the tax contract.Vatinius excessively proposed to the assembly that Caesar should be given Illyricum and both gauls for tail fin years as well as an army of trinity legions, this was passed in spite of unfavourable omens. Due to vatinius help as a tribune in 59bc, each triumvir gained most of what they wanted. Julius Caesar also assisted in changing Clodius Pulchers status, so that clodius could help the triumvirate. Caeasr helped Clodius change from the patrician to plebeian status. Clodius became a tribune and introduced four laws.He also introduced free corn as a bribe, this obviously benefited the poor and masses, scarcely had negative effects in politics since it was often used to set up the plebs as a form of bribe for their vote. Free corn was unremarkably used by populares leaders to bribe the people for political interests. The two censors were able to expel senators only when they were both in agreement and and later on a judicial enquiry had been held. No magistrates could stop public melody by the use of auspices or observing ill-omens. Clodius pulcher as tribune in 58BC also exiled Cicero because of the threat he imposed on the triumvirs.Clodius introduced to rid both magistrate who had posture to death a Roman citizen without trial- this was obiously aimed at Cicero, because he had put to death the Catilinarian conspirators in 63VC, against Julius Caesars wishes (warnings on the law). After Ciceros exile, gibe to Plutarch, it was obvious to others that Cicero was a shattered man- he remained for most of the time piti able and disconsolate, keeping his eyes fixed, like a distressed lover, on Italy. The triumvirate became down the stairs pressure between 58 and 56 BC for various reasons.The malevolence between Pompey and Crassus contributed largely. As Crassus and Pompey both achieved their goals, Pompey was embarrassed by Caesars methods and Crassus was yearning to humiliated Pompey was a reason for the triumvirate being under pressure. Cicero also attacked one of Caesars bills in the senate- the lex Campania which threatened the unity of the coalition. Cicero continued to attempt to allure Pompey away from the coalition with Crassus and Pompey. Cicero also undermined the coalition further by disquisition for Pompeys special instruction by appointment.The people were complaining about the high price of the corn as well as the famine of it. It means that Clodius law to provide free corn was unsuccessful. Cicero spole for pompeys command of the grain supply as the people demanded that Pompe y should be appointed in charge of the supplies of grain. Plutarch suggests that the appointment made Pompey once again the master of all ROMAN possessions by sea and by land, and Crassus and Caesar would have not been happy woth the appointment because Pompey would have more power than the rest of the triumvirs.The conference at luca in 56BC had the aim of solving these problems, and it successfully strengthened the postion of the coalition between the three men overall- a public reconciliation between Pompey and Crassus largely achieved this. At the conference it was also agreed that Crassua nd Pompey would root word for a ocnuslship the following year- 55bc- a give voice one. To achieve their aims of having a consulship together, Crassus and Pompey used some dodgy tactics in order to be elected.They had unchewable ptimates enemies, Domitius Ahenobarbus in particular. They tried their best to delay the elections being held and also preventing the consuls in hilding the electio n unitl the ened of the term. tHEY BOTH resorted to violence , among other things. By the end of the year no elections wre held. aN interrex was appointed- however this was a poltical friend- friendly to Pompey. This interrex suggested that only two candidates for the joint consulship be elected, obviously aiming at Crassus and pOmpey as candidates.During the elections, Anhenobarbus was wounded in a riot, and Pompey and Crassus were elected for a second time as consuls. POMPEY and Crassus aimed to gain rich proconsular commands, and with the help of tribune c. trebonius he awarded Crassus the province of Syria and Pompey the two Spains, as well as Caesars Gallic command extended. Throughout the years 60-53bc, the coupling of the triumvirate, the political coaltion between these three men used a garland of methods to achieve their poltical goals/aims.These three men met their goals theough the use of tribunes- Vatinius and C. Trebonius. Both of these methods were effective as thei r goals were granted however they were mostly short lasting resolutions because soon the triumvirate stone-broke down and the civil war following which had devasting effects. ahOWEVER, the violence that Crassus and Pompey used in order to be elected for their joint consulship in 55BC was wrong and illegal. Caesar also used violence- the threat of force- to pass his lexCampania during his first consulship in 59BC. Pompey became very unahappy with the way that Caear passed his lex Campania. The threat of force was a very strong factor in preventing the triumvirs opponents from resorting to violence themselves, and many argue that it was a necessity for any of the three men to resort to threats, violence or illegal activity in order to achieve their political goals/or aims. The mehods used by the three men were on the effective, howevr sometimes the methods they used is not justified.