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Chapter 50: Pompey the Great
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Pompey knew well that the Senate would not accept his demands easily.
That’s why he had sent a letter to his spokesman, Gabinius, before he wiped out the pirates.
Pompey’s popularity in Rome was sky-high.
Rome had also suffered greatly from the pirates, though not as much as Greece.
Especially the equestrian class, who often traveled to the East, had to bear extra expenses to prepare for the pirates.
In the last two years, the price of wheat had skyrocketed because of the pirates.
But all these factors were neatly eliminated in just 89 days.
The amount of grain coming into Rome also returned to normal.
The people who had been captured by the pirates were all freed.
They would have been slaves if they had stayed still.
They returned to their homeland safely and passionately spread Pompey’s heroic deeds.
Gabinius proudly announced Pompey’s achievements in the assembly.
“Thanks to the great Pompey, sailing in the Mediterranean is now completely safe. He captured more than 400 pirate ships and sank more than 1,300 pirate ships with his own hands!
He destroyed all their bases so that they could never sail again! But, dear citizens, what was the reason why the pirates could run wild like this? It was because that wicked Pontus king Mithridates VI supported them. That is, there is still a fundamental problem left in the eradication of pirates!”
“Kill Mithridates!”
“Dismiss the incompetent Lucullus and appoint Pompey as commander!”
People inevitably get tired when a war drags on.
This was the third time that Mithridates had declared war on Rome.
Lucullus had fought Mithridates for seven years, but Mithridates had fought Rome since Sulla’s time.
If you include that period, he had fought Rome for almost 20 years.
The citizens wanted someone to finish off Mithridates soon.
They had hoped for Lucullus at one point, but he ultimately failed.
It was natural that Pompey’s side attracted the citizens’ desire.
Cilicia, where Pompey was staying, was right next to the Eastern provinces.
He could start the suppression as soon as he was appointed commander.
The Romans believed that Pompey could sweep away Mithridates as he did with the pirates.
Of course, most of the senators opposed it. The reason for their opposition was the same as usual.
Lucullus’ brother Terentius vehemently argued that he could never accept this proposal.
“This Gabinius is Pompey’s lackey! I believe you all know this fact by now. If we keep accepting such demands, Pompey will look down on our Senate more and more. No, he already looks down on us without a doubt!”
The senators who supported Terentius followed suit and denounced Pompey’s arrogance.
But this time too, there was a senator who sided with Pompey. It was Caesar.
He welcomed the decline of the Senate’s authority with open arms.
“Ah, respected senators. If you calm down and think about it, Pompey’s proposal is not absurd.”
“Not absurd? Pompey swore in front of the gods that he would disband his army when his mission was over!”
“But he claims that his mission is not over yet. Pompey received the power to annihilate the pirates. And behind those pirates is Mithridates VI. That is, defeating him is the true end of the pirate eradication campaign, isn’t it?”
“Nonsense! Mithridates just provided funds to the pirates!”
“That’s proof that he is in league with them. Besides, it is too much to continue the Eastern war with Lucullus. We have to change the commander anyway. But send someone else other than Pompey? Do you think the citizens will watch this? And if that commander fails to achieve results, who will take responsibility?”
Caesar looked at Terentius as if to say, do you want to take responsibility?
Terentius could not say anything and quietly sat down. The other senators also avoided Caesar’s eyes.
They had proven themselves that they only repeated baseless oppositions.
It was a scene that showed clearly how incompetent the current Senate was.
Cicero, who could not stand it anymore, stepped in to mediate opinions.
“Gentlemen, Pompey’s claim is arrogant but reasonable as Caesar said. He also has the enthusiastic support of the citizens.
Our Senate has already given Pompey a great deal of authority. Then, wouldn’t it be consistent to show him our support boldly this time? Even if the Senate opposes, we have no way to stop it if it is passed by the Assembly according to Hortensius’ law.”
Despite Cicero’s realistic advice, the senators were adamant. They were determined to express their will by opposing to the end.
But as Cicero expected, the Assembly passed the motion to dismiss Lucullus with overwhelming support.
All 35 electoral districts cast their votes in favor.
Moreover, this time even the equestrian class sided with the plebeians.
It was because Lucullus had become distant from the equestrian class during the process of stabilizing the eastern provinces.
The only ones who stood by Lucullus in the vast Rome were the Senate.
Taking advantage of this situation, Gabinius passed another law.
It was to relax the age limit for being elected as a Roman official.
Originally, one had to be 30 years old to run for quaestor, but he lowered it to 25.
The same was true for other offices.
Especially, he set the minimum age for praetor exactly at 36, which was when Pompey first became a praetor.
Gabinius emphasized that those who had violated the age limit in the past for unavoidable reasons were not illegal if they met this criterion.
It was obvious that this bill was prepared for Pompey.
The Senate shouted out their absolute opposition, but no one listened to them.
All they could do was curse Pompey at the Senate meeting.
With this, all the reforms that Sulla had done to strengthen the Senate were nullified or abolished.
Pompey gained the authority to extend his imperium until he needed it.
The area under his jurisdiction was the entire eastern provinces.
Lucullus, who heard the news of his dismissal, sent a request to allow him to hold a triumphal parade, and the Senate accepted it.
Although he did not end the war, he had some achievements.
He was the first Roman to advance to the Caspian Sea and won several heroic victories.
There was also a huge amount of gold, silver, and wealth that he had plundered from Pontus and Armenia when he invaded them once.
The Senate decided that he had enough qualifications to hold a triumphal parade.
Of course, there was also a hopeful expectation that Lucullus, who was Sulla’s disciple, would restrain Pompey when he returned.
It was bitter, but this was the best that the Senate could do at present.
※※※※
As soon as Pompey received the news of his appointment as the commander of the East, he moved north from Cilicia.
Lucullus and Pompey agreed to hand over their duties in Galatia, a region west of Bithynia.
Marcus accompanied Pompey as his lieutenant to where the two giants met.
“Will Lucullus be okay? He must be upset.”
“What can he do even if he feels bad? I’m the commander now anyway. And honestly, I think Lucullus’ legionaries would prefer me as their leader.”
Pompey looked down on Lucullus for failing to handle his subordinates.
He had considered him a threatening rival a few years ago, but now he didn’t care about him at all.
“Still, isn’t Lucullus a senior figure for you? And you can’t deny that he is an excellent tactician.”
“Well, that’s true. That’s why I’m going to show him at least some courtesy. But nothing more than that.”
While Marcus and Pompey were talking, a man came closer with his army.
A solemn-looking middle-aged man with a balding forehead walked towards them.
The crimson cloak that only the commander-in-chief could wear told them that he was Lucullus.
Pompey greeted him with a smile and extended his arm.
“It’s been a long time. My dear Lucullus. How many years has it been?”
Lucullus clasped Pompey’s arm and gave a stiff smile.
“It’s been over seven years since I saw you before I was sent to the East. I’ve heard of your brilliant achievements here. But who is this young man next to you?”
Marcus bowed politely and lowered his head as he received Lucullus’ gaze.
“I’m Marcus Licinius Crassus II. I’m serving as Pompey’s lieutenant.”
“Oh, you’re the son of Crassus? I’ve heard that Crassus loves his children very much.”
A few more formal greetings followed.
The atmosphere was not too bad.
No matter what Pompey thought of Lucullus, he was not someone to be ignored.
He was one of the Optimates, a former praetor, and a man who was scheduled to hold a triumphal parade for his war merits.
Even Pompey, who was twelve years younger, had no intention of being rude to his senior.
The handover of the provincial governor began with the former handing over his baton of command to the latter.
Pompey, who received the baton from Lucullus, replied with a warm compliment.
“Although you did not end the war, your exploits must have warmed the hearts of many Romans. Especially, your tactics of defeating the Armenian army that was more than five times larger will be a great inspiration for future generations.”
“Heh, thank you for saying that. I also watched your dazzling strategy in the pirate eradication campaign with admiration and awe. It was truly a feat worthy of Pompey, the genius of strategy.”
“Hahaha, you flatter me. It’s nothing compared to you, who drove back Pontus and Armenia. Well, I’ll finish the rest easily anyway. Please go back to Rome and wait for the follow-up report comfortably.”
Lucullus’ eyes twitched at the word ‘easily’.
It sounded like he was an incompetent general who couldn’t finish this easy task and was kicked out.
Unable to hide his twisted feelings, he nodded with a strange sarcasm.
“I’m sure you will. Finishing what others started is your greatest specialty. It was the same with Sertorius’ rebellion and the slave rebellion. You will finish this eastern war well too. Since I’ve already smashed Pontus and Armenia completely.”
The forced smile on Pompey’s lips disappeared as if it had been washed away.
The accusation of stealing others’ merits was the most common weapon that the Senate used to attack Pompey.
Of course, this was somewhat unfair.
Pompey had fought wars from start to finish more than once or twice.
He swept away the populares under Sulla’s door, and he also suppressed the rebellion that Lepidus had raised by himself.
He had no excuse for meddling in the slave rebellion. But Sertorius’ rebellion was a fierce war that no one knew how it would end if Pompey hadn’t gone.
Even in this pirate eradication campaign, Pompey proved his ability perfectly.
Of course, that was Pompey’s position, and it was natural for Lucullus to feel bad.
He had laid out all the cards desperately, but someone else took all the credit in the end.
Pompey threw away the courtesy he had been holding on to and countered with a cold sneer.
“Ha! Why would I ever be in such a position of doing other people’s leftovers? Isn’t it because the Senate’s incompetent generals couldn’t end the war and had no choice but to ask for my help? Just like you, Lucullus!”
“What?”
“Did I say something wrong? How greedy were you that your subordinates not only refused to serve but also went on a collective strike indefinitely? If it were me, I would have given them enough spoils to win their hearts from the beginning. How can someone who can’t even earn their subordinates’ trust call himself an imperator
 tsk.”
Lucullus’ face turned red as he was stabbed in his sore spots one after another.
But Pompey did not stop his offensive there.
“How shameless of you to hold a triumphal parade when you couldn’t even finish a war that lasted for seven years. If it were me, I would have apologized to the citizens instead of being embarrassed. You advanced to the Caspian Sea for the first time as a Roman, but you retreated because of an unpleasant incident. It’s almost like you tarnished Rome’s honor. And you want a triumph? How dare······.”
Marcus signaled Pompey that it would be better to stop as his words became more radical.
Lucullus, who was shaking both hands, stopped Pompey’s criticism only then.
But he had no sense of remorse for saying such harsh words.
Rather, he felt like he was holding back because Marcus was next to him.
“Hmm, anyway, I’m the governor of this region, no matter what you say. If you’re done with the handover, go back to Rome right away.”
“I’ll go back even if you don’t tell me to. And you know well that you have to give me the soldiers who will join me in my triumph, right?”
The presence of soldiers who marched with the imperator while honoring him was essential for a triumphal parade.
Pompey, who knew this fact, looked at Lucullus with a sour expression.
But soon he came up with a good idea and gladly agreed to give them.
“Of course. You can’t have a triumph without soldiers. I’ll give you fifteen hundred or so. Take them.”
“At least you know some decency. I’ll leave as soon as I’m ready.”
Lucullus, who was twisted inside, left without saying goodbye.
Marcus, who watched his back, shook his head.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You fought too much emotionally.”
“Hmph, he won’t be on the front line of history anymore anyway. What are you worried about? He’ll go back to Rome and live a luxurious life with the wealth he collected from the East.”
“You’re cold-hearted.”
“You’ll feel it someday too. People only want to use you no matter how much they like you. Of course, you must already know that since you’re an excellent businessman, but politics is even worse.”
Marcus agreed with Pompey’s words themselves. But he didn’t agree with his way of handling things.
In politics, it was better not to show your dislike for someone even if you hated them.
Even if you prepared a fatal move, you had to hide your poison behind a friendly smile.
And when you stepped on someone, you had to do it mercilessly and thoroughly without leaving any room for revenge.
Pompey’s way of just humiliating his opponent could only result in fostering resentment.
‘If his political skills were half as good as his military skills, the history of Rome might have changed.’
He felt sorry for him inwardly, but Pompey just smiled cruelly while looking forward to Lucullus’ reaction.
※※※※
Lucullus arrived at the port to return to Rome and saw the soldiers that Pompey had promised him.
It looked like more than fifteen hundred as promised by the lined-up ranks. This was enough to save some face.
Lucullus sighed with relief and looked closer at the soldiers.
And soon he was engulfed by an uncontrollable rage and gritted his teeth.
“Pompey, that son of a bitch······.”
The ranks of the soldiers were retired veterans and those who were injured and unable to fight.
Moreover, Pompey had deliberately selected soldiers who had not gotten along well with Lucullus and sent them along on his way home.
A sense of humiliation that he had never felt in his life swept over Lucullus’ body.
“How dare he treat me like this···me, Lucius Licinius Lucullus?”
Lucullus’ influence was not something to be ignored even if he failed to end the war.
As Marcus expected, Pompey’s action would bring more loss than gain, but Pompey didn’t care about that at all.
He was a man who had never been associated with failure from his youth until now.
He thought he could kick away any obstacles with his feet. He did whatever he wanted without hesitation.
Lucullus and the Senate could use whatever means they wanted, but that was still a future that had not yet come.
Pompey didn’t care about the Senate and Lucullus at all. His eyes were only focused on Pontus and Armenia.
The time had come for the eastern monarchs who had tormented Rome for a long time to face the great disaster called Pompey.