'Assess the significance of Pompey's early military and political career'
Pompey's early political and military career were extremely significant and a leading factor to his success in the future positions he held in his time. He was born into both the political and military world, due to his father, Strabo, being in a high political position, eventually becoming consul. His father also impacted his military knowledge, being in command of his son for two years. At a young age, 23, Pompey was already of a high position in the military, and leading armies alongside Sulla, an older Roman consul. This is significant as he was extremely under aged for the position of praetor, however was still granted these powers, nevertheless, despite not holding
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138 BC, is considered very significant to Roman history and has left a notable legacy behind after his death in 78 BC. Sulla was famous as he left the legacy of the reforms of the Constitutions of the Rome Republic, laws specifically targeted towards the cursus honorum. In these reforms, Sulla aimed to reduce the level of political power the plebeian tribunes had in society, and remove the existing democracy, also believing in adding power to the Roman senate. Despite these reforms lasting many years after his death, eventually revoked by Pompey and Crassus, Caesar still destroyed the reforms in later years, meaning that his legacy in regards to his constitutional reforms were short lived. He also stands out in history, having served as consul twice, and achieving a dictatorship in Rome, alongside many military successes, including his involvement in the Social War. Sulla also saw the potential in Pompey, who would become a military and political leader in the later Roman republic, and offered him many military missions. The legacy of Sulla lived on in him, as Pompey aimed to enforce the existing law reforms Sulla had made to the constitution of the Roman Republic, stating 'If Sulla could, why can't I?', according to Cicero. Despite Sulla's reforms not lasting long, he still had a large impact on the fall on the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman