CAESAR - TRIUMVIRATE AND CIVIL WAR

The First Triumvirate was formed as a result of ‘the short-sighted reaction of the die-hard optimates… under the leadership of Cato.’ - Triumvirate formed in reaction to shared optimate opposition

H.H. Scullard

The First Triumvirate was ‘the end of the free state.’ - Triumvirate marked the end of the Republic

Ronald Syme

‘The union of political cliques in 59 was… no novelty in Roman politics.’ - Triumvirate was a standard amicitia that was no different to other Roman alliances

Erich Gruen

‘It was not such a complete takeover [as its opponents] imply.’ - Triumvirate never totally had control, never totally unified

Mary Beard

‘It was the small Optimate clique… that forced the issue.’ - optimates caused the civil war between Pompey and Caesar by worsening tensions

H. H. Scullard

‘Caesar's alleged fear of prosecution’ did not cause the civil war - Caesar did not start the civil war out of a fear of being prosecuted as there was no chance of this happening

Robert Morstein-Marx

‘What came to be seen as a war between liberty and one-man rule was really a war to choose between rival emperors.’ - The civil war was a war to decide who would be the absolute ruler of Rome

Mary Beard