Pompey
Roman general and statesman, rival of Julius Caesar.
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman prominent in the final decades of the Roman Republic. He rose to prominence as a partisan and protégé of the dictator Sulla, after whose death he achieved significant military and political success. A member of the senatorial nobility, Pompey entered a military career early, bypassing the traditional cursus honorum due to his early success as a general, and was elected consul on three occasions (70, 55, 52 BC). He celebrated three triumphs and served as a commander in the Sertorian War, the Third Servile War, the Third Mithridatic War, and various other campaigns.
- born
- 29 September 106 BC, Picenum
- died
- 28 September 48 BC, Ptolemaic Egypt
- field
- Military and politics
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Member of the First Triumvirate; defeated by Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalus; assassinated in Egypt
Lore & Background
Pompey began his career serving with his father, Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, during the Social War (91–87 BC). After his father's death in 87 BC, Pompey was tried for embezzlement but acquitted, reportedly after agreeing to marry the judge's daughter, Antistia. During Sulla's civil war, Pompey raised a legion from his father's clients and joined Sulla, who greeted him with the title imperator. He campaigned in Cisalpine Gaul, defeated forces under Gaius Carrinas and Gaius Marcius Censorinus, and helped break the resistance of the government forces. After Sulla became dictator, Pompey was persuaded to divorce Antistia and marry Sulla's stepdaughter Aemilia, who died in childbirth soon after.
Reader's Guide
Pompey's significance lies in his role as a leading figure during the late Roman Republic, whose military successes and political alliances shaped the transition from republic to empire. His early career under Sulla established him as a formidable commander, and his three triumphs and multiple consulships reflected his extraordinary influence. The First Triumvirate with Crassus and Caesar temporarily stabilized Roman politics, but its collapse after the deaths of Julia and Crassus led to civil war. Pompey's defeat at Pharsalus and subsequent assassination in Egypt marked the end of his faction's resistance and accelerated Caesar's rise to sole power. His legacy includes the precedent of bypassing traditional political norms through military achievement, a pattern that contributed to the Republic's downfall. The cognomen Magnus, granted by Sulla, underscores his lasting association with greatness, though his opponents' epithet 'teenage butcher' highlights the ruthlessness of his methods.
Did You Know?
- Pompey was granted the cognomen Magnus by dictator Sulla, reportedly in reference to Pompey's admiration for Alexander the Great.
- His adversaries called him adulescentulus carnifex ('teenage butcher') due to his perceived ruthlessness.
- Pompey was elected consul three times: in 70, 55, and 52 BC.
- He was assassinated by the courtiers of Ptolemy XIII after seeking refuge in Ptolemaic Egypt.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (29 September 106 BC – 29 September 48 BC), generally referred to in English as Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and politician." — Pompey "More people worship the rising than the setting sun." — Pompey "Great Pompey's shade complains that we are slow,And Scipio's ghost walks unavenged amongst us!" — Pompey "And besides, he was what? 25? He couldn't stand for a Praetorship even if he wanted to. But like I say, I don't care. I'm fine with it. I'm happy for him. Hooray for Pompey. Pompey the Great." — Pompey
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