First Triumvirate Analysis

The First Triumvirate was formed in the middle of Rome’s Civil War to combat Sulla’s overgrowing power. “In 88 BCE, Sulla, one of Marius’ officers, revealed the danger at the heart of the new power politics by raising an army and marching on Rome. He forced the Senate to legitimize his command, campaigned successfully in Asia Minor, retook Rome, assumed dictatorial powers, and executed Romans.” (Frankforter and Spellman). Sulla then restored the Senate to its original dominance, however the Senate wasn’t able to defend the empire with public officials who were bound by the traditions of the Republic’s constitution. So, the Senate began to appoint “special commanders” to deal with the empire’s bigger problems (Frankforter and Spellman). These “special commanders” didn’t have the same legal limitations that the magistrates

The three men combined their resources, set aside their personal differences, and seized control of the state.” (Wasson) However, this was alliance weak. Crassus and Caesar saw that with his army, Pompey was the strongest in the group, which the other two sought to correct. To raise armies of their own, both Crassus and Caesar went on campaigns to further extend the boundaries of Rome’s Empire, while Pompey stayed in Rome. Crassus went to the Parthian Empire with the intentions of conquering it, however the Parthians got the better of him and killed him in 53 BCE. At the same time, Caesar went north to the Gauls in Europe, extending the empire to the Rhine River and the English Channel. He later published his account of the campaigns in The Gallic Wars. After Crassus dies, the Senate sees Caesar as more of a threat than Pompey, so they support Pompey in ending Caesar’s career. When Caesar’s term as governor ended, the Senate refused to extend his command of his army and rather than give up, Caesar marched onto Rome (Frankforter and