First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate, formed in 60 BCE, was an informal private alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Marcus Licinius Crassus — the three most powerful men in Rome — designed to overcome senatorial opposition to each man's ambitions. Pompey needed ratification of his eastern settlements and land for his veterans; Crassus wanted tax-farming contracts for his Equestrian allies; Caesar needed a consulship and an important military command. By coordinating their resources — Pompey's veterans, Crassus's money, and Caesar's political skill and popular support — they dominated Roman politics for the following decade. The alliance was cemented by Pompey's marriage to Caesar's daughter Julia; her death in 54 BCE and Crassus's death at Carrhae in 53 BCE removed the personal ties that held the coalition together, and Pompey gradually aligned with the Senate against his former partner.
- Category: Political
