First Triumvirate

The First Triumvirate (60-53 BCE) was a secret alliance to dominate the politics of the Roman Republic by three of Rome’s Generals, Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus – Pompey.
It had no official authority and endured from 60-53 BCE, when Crassus was killed in the Battle of Carrhae.

Origin of the First Triumvirate

Crassus and Pompey were Consuls together in 70 BCE. They both had enormous wealth.
In 60 BCE, Julius Caesar joined them by getting himself elected Consul for 59 BCE.
Julius Caesar gave his daughter, Julia Caesaris, to become Pompey‘s fourth wife.
Julius Caesar brought popularity into the combination of Wealth and Influence of the other two Triumvirs.

Opposed to the First Triumvirate were Cato the Younger and Cicero who represented the Roman Senate‘s opposition to these powerful Generals. They proceeded to block their proposed Legislation.
In 58 BCE Julius Caesar arranged for his own Father-in-Law to become Consul.
Publius Clodius Pulcher was made Tribune of the Plebs by the Triumvirs, thus bypassing the power of Cato the Younger and Cicero.

Julius Caesar was successful in being appointed Proconsul of Gallia Transalpina, Gallia Cisalpina and Illyricum, obtaining command of 4 Legions for 5 years.
In 56 BCE The Lucca Conference:
- As Julius Caesar‘s Gallic Wars earned him increasing Power, he was obliged to meet Crassus and Pompey individually in the town of Lucca, to reassure them about sharing Power.
- It was agreed that Pompey and Crassus would stand for joint Consul in 55 BCE. Pompey would afterwards be made Governor of Syria and launch an invasion of the Parthian Empire. At the same time, Crassus would keep control of Hispania.

The effect of the First Triumvirate was to enable the whole of Gaul to be made into a Province of Rome.

In 53 BCE Crassus died at the Battle of Carrhae against the Parthians.
When Julia Caesaris died, Pompey who now controlled Rome, married the daughter of one of Caesar’s archrivals, and aligned himself with the Roman Senate against Julius Caesar.
In 50 BCE Pompey and the Roman Senate laid charges against Julius Caesar and ordered him to relinquish the command of his armies in Gaul and return to Rome.

In 49 BCE, by Crossing the Rubicon and heading for Rome with the Legio XIII Gemina, Julius Caesar started the Civil War against Pompey and the Optimates.
The end of the Great Roman Civil War led to Julius Caesar becoming Dictator for life.

On 15 March 44 BCE Julius Caesar was assassinated and his murder ended his aspirations.
This led to the pursuit of his assassins by Caesar’s adopted son and heir, Octavian, along with Mark Anthony and Marcus Lepidus.

On 26 November 43 BCE , Octavian, Caesar’s adopted son and heir, went on to create the Second Triumvirate with Mark Anthony and Marcus Lepidus, to pursue Julius Caesar‘s assassins.