Pompey the Great

by John Leach

To Romans of later generations the three decades between the dictatorships of Sulla and of Caesar were the age of Pompey the Great. In spite of the central role he played in Roman history, he remains a shadowy figure compared with the likes of Caesar and Cicero.

Pompey the Great, first published in 1978, traces the career of this enigmatic character from his first appearance in public life on the staff of his father Strabo during the Social War, through his early military campaigns as Sulla’s lieutenant in the Civil War 83-82, as the Senate’s general in Italy and Spain during the 70s, to his first consulship with Crassus in 70. The important commands against the pirates and Mithridates, the alliance with Caesar, its eventual collapse into civil war, and the significance of Pompey’s constitutional position for an understanding of the later Augustan settlement war are all discussed with clarity and insight.

Genres: Roman History

265 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 1986

Reviews

[Andrew Dockrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pompey the Great was a fantastic book, very balanced while leaning towards a neutral sympathetic approach to Pompey. Much like many others who were alive during the time of Sulla's arguably vicious reign in Rome, this coincidentally also set up such men as Marcus Licinius Crassus and our Gnaeus Pompey on the course for success as he became Pompey's patron through a marriage alliance. Pompey himself had come from military stock but no one who was exceptionally well respected in Roman society - his father being Pompeus Strabo.

Much of Pompey's success of course came from his military ability not only with dealing with the forces in Africa, while also taking care of Sertorius in Spain and the Mithridatic wars in the East and finally stealing Marcus Crassus success during the Spartacus Revolt and then going on to deal with the pirates ravaging the Mediterranean.

In this biography Leach definitely respects Pompey as a tremendous general who was very good at promoting himself and networking with strong men within Rome. It was very pleasing to get another perspective from the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, as the tale from Caesar's perspective was well known, but little is often heard of Pompey as he was not the victor. At the end of the day though, while Pompey did not succeed in besting Caesar, despite nearly defeating him at Dyrrachium, he ultimately failed at Pharsalus and was discredited for having fled from the field when their cause was falling apart, which Leach justified by making the argument that Pompey fled with the rest of his men to avoid needless loss of the Italiens in his army.

All in all the book was very good, extremely enjoyable and appreciated the other point of view of the hostility between the two Triumvirs.

[Engjell Gishti]

I would like to consult this book for a study about Caesar battles. Can you help me? Thank You!