Pompey Appointed Sole Consul: The Republic at Breaking Point
The late 50s BCE had seen Rome convulsed by factional street violence. In January 52 BCE, Clodius and Milo's gangs met on the Appian Way; in the fight that followed, Clodius was killed. His body was brought to Rome, where a mob burned his corpse in the Senate house. Rome had no consuls elected for 52 BCE. Elections had repeatedly been disrupted by the violence. With the city in disorder, the choice fell to the man with the only organised military force near Rome: Pompey. The Senate passed an extraordinary decree appointing Pompey consul sine collega — sole consul, without a colleague. The office of consul existed in pairs precisely to prevent either from becoming too powerful: collegiality was the Republic's most basic safeguard. Pompey used his position to pass legislation against electoral bribery and violence, then took Quintus Caecilius Metellus as a colleague for the second half of the year. The episode demonstrated that the Republican constitution had become dependent on individual strongmen for basic function. Caesar, in Gaul, was watching. In January 49 he crossed the Rubicon.
- Year: 52 BCE
- Category: Political
