65 Dec. 5 64 64 63 62 62 Jul. 27 Catiline forms a conspiracy to assassinate the consuls, and seize on the consulship: a plot which is not carried into effect. Antipater,* grown rich and ambitious, excites disturbances in Judea, and endeavours to dethrone Aristobulus, and to aid Hyrcanus, his elder brother, in recovering the crown. Pompey marches into Syria, and reduces it into the form of a Roman province.t Antiochus Asiaticus retires to a private condition in life. Mithridates appears again in Pontus. Catiline, with a band of profligates, lays the plot of a second conspiracy to murder the consuls, and burn the city of Rome. The two Jewish princes, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, finally refer their cause to Pompey, at this time at Damascus.‡ Mithridates destroys himself to avoid being given up by his son Pharnaces to the Romans. Aristobulus, fearing the decision of Pompey, raises an army against him, and withdraws into Jerusalem. Pompey besieges Jerusalem, and takes the city. and temple, on the anniversary of the day on which * Antipater or Antipas, was the father of Herod the Great. He was by birth an Idumæan, but by religion a Jew. Here ended the empire of the Seleucidæ in Asia, after it had existed two hundred and fifty eight years. While Pompey was in this part of Asia, twelve kings, it is said, came to make their court to him, and were all seen, at the same time, attending upon him. 62 62 5. * it had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar: Aristobulus is made prisoner, and Hyrcanus is allowed to be prince and high priest, but is forbidden to wear the diadem. Judea is reduced to its ancient limits, and obliged to pay tribute to the Romans. Pharnaces, the son of Mithridates, having surrendered himself and his kingdom to the Romans, is made king of Bosphorus. Catiline's conspiracy having been discovered by Dec. Cicero, the consul of Rome, the conspirators are punished with death, and Cicero receives for his vigilance the thanks of the public, and the title of Father of his country. 60 Sept. 30. 59 58 Pompey the Great, after having destroyed or taken more than two millions of people, captured or burnt upwards of fifteen hundred cities, and added twelve provinces to the empire, returns to Rome, and obtains the most magnificent triumph ever known there. Pompey begins to display his aim at the supreme power. Through the instrumentality of the equally ambitious Julius Cæsar, he and Crassus are reconciled; and a coalition is formed between Pompey, Cæsar and Crassus, who agree that nothing shall be transacted in the republic, without their joint concurrence. This is called the first triumvirate. Julius Cæsar, by the interest of his two associates, is chosen consul with Bibulus. * Cicero ever after boasted of this day as the most glorious of his life. 571 He procures the government of Transalpine Gaul, together with the command of four legions, to be committed to him for five years. Cicero is obliged to go into banishment, through April the influence of Clodius, an infamous tribune, who accused him of putting the adherents of Catiline to death without trial. 56 Aug. 4 54 54 Aug. 26. 53 He is recalled, through the interest of Pompey. Cæsar lands at Deal in his first invasion of Britain, where he meets with a bold and vigorous resistance from the inhabitants. The province of Spain is assigned to Pompey, and those of Asia to Crassus, for five years: the government of Gaul is also continued for the same term to Cæsar, Crassus, having hastened into the east to take possession of the wealthy provinces assigned him, marches to Jerusalem, and seizes all the treasure and the sacred utensils which Pompey had forborne to take. Cæsar lands a second and last time in Britain. He soon leaves it again without having planted a colony, or erected a single fortress on its shores. About the same time, his daughter Julia, whom he had married to Pompey, and who, by her prudent management, had maintained peace between the chiefs, dies. Crassus marches into Parthia, and though the 53 53 52 51 49 48 Parthians were at the time in alliance with Rome, he besieges and takes Nicephorum. He pursues his disgraceful conquests and extortions in Mesopotamia and Syria, sparing neither temples nor people. Crassus is surprised and defeated by the Parthians in Mesopotamia, and being obliged to retire into Carrhæ, is there slain with all his retinue.* The news of the death of Crassus gives a fresh impulse to the ambition of Pompey and Cæsar, and brings on that fatal contest between them, which ended in the destruction of Pompey, and with him, of Roman liberty. Pompey is declared sole consul of Rome, a thing unknown before. Cæsar still successfully pursues his conquests in Gaul, &c., which greatly increases his reputation and influence at Rome. Through the influence of Pompey, whose jealousy had been excited by the successes and the increasing popularity of Cæsar, that general is commanded by the senate to resign his proconsulship within a certain time, on pain of being declared an enemy to the state; which he refuses to do, unless Pompey would also resign his office. The consuls raise a powerful army against him, * Orodes, king of Parthia, by way of insult to this rapacious and odious invader, on receiving his head, which was cut off and sent to him, ordered the mouth to be filled with melted lead. 48 March the command of which they entrust to Pompey, with plenary power to take care of the republic.. Cæsar assembles his veteran legions, and marches to Italy with great speed. He takes Ariminum, and crosses the Rubicon, which separated his province of Cisalpine Gaul from those of Rome. Pompey, greatly alarmed, orders all the chief people to follow him to Capua, and thence to Brundusium, where Cæsar besieges him. He escapes, by means of his fleet, to Spain, leaving his successful rival master of all Italy. Cæsar seizes on the public treasury, and pursues Pompey into Spain: Cicero, Cato, and upwards of two hundred other Roman senators, hasten thither also to join Pompey. Cæsar, after various successes in Spain, and after being defeated by Pompey, sails back to Rome, where he is chosen dictator. 47 Battle of Pharsalia, in which Cæsar, with infeAug. 9 rior forces, gives Pompey a total overthrow. Pompey flees into Egypt, to take refuge with Ptolemy, who perfidiously orders him to be assassinated as soon as he landed on the shore, and sends his head as a grateful present to Cæsar. On the death of Pompey, the seat of war is removed from Asia into Africa: Cneus Pompey, Cato, Labienus and Scipio, with Juba, king of Numidia, who are still determined to carry on the war, concentrate their forces, and assemble in council at Utica. |