Expert: Maria - 1/25/2007

Question
Considering your wealth of knowledge concerning ancient Rome, can you help me please, please in tracking down an answer to a question? On the 20th of January, the Washington Bureau's Joe Galloway, called the Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld alliance a "triumvirate". This immediately brought to mind the "First Triumvirate" namely Caesar, Pompei, and Crassus. Can any comparison be made between the two triumvirates in regards to the turmoil left in their wake? Is there any book or any work of your own that would help me to understand the affects of the First Triumvirate on the common Roman citizen? I suppose I could make my own judgement as to similarities between then and now, unless you have comments you feel comfortable contributing.

Ken Merrell

Answer
Hello,

first of all I really believe that no  comparison can be made between the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld alliance and the Roman First Triumvirate of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus(60 BC) which was an unofficial  political partnership, not known as a triumvirate at that time, because it was not a true magistracy recognized by the state, but a  simple alliance of three prominent individuals:the rich Crassus, the influent Pompey and the ambitious Caesar, who was very popular among the Roman citizens and  aimed at the consulship.

So, this alliance allowed Caesar, Pompey and Crassus to prevail in the political struggle against the ‘optimates’, i.e. the aristocracy of ancient Rome as well as  the  traditionalist faction of the Senate that was opposed to political aspirations of Caesar, Pompey and Crassus, because feared their power.

As for  the effects of the First Triumvirate on the common Roman citizens, i.e. the ‘populares’, the people in ancient Rome as opposed to the ‘optimate’,  they were quite good because the Triumvirs got the senate to pass bills for the benefit of the people.
Moreover from the point of view of the Roman Republic, the so called First Triumvirate led to the conquest of Gaul (modern France, Belgium, Switzerland)  by Caius Julius Caesar, who crossed also the English Channel to raid Britain (55- 54 BC).

Such an alliance lasted until Crassus's death in 53 BC, when Caesar and Pompey began to compete for their own power  and dispute the leadership of the entire Roman state.
Hence the Civil War which ended with Caesar’s victory and Pompey’s death after the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC.

This in short, of course.

To conclude, the only one connection I can see between the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld alliance and the so-called First Triumvirate of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus is  that we have to do with three persons bound by similar political interests. Absolutely different is on the contrary political situation, indeed!

With regard to any book that would help you, maybe you can consult The Oxford History of the Roman World.

Hope this brief outline can be helpful to you.

Best regards,
Maria