Born – 29th September 106 BCE
Died – 28th September 48 BCE
Father – Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo (135 – 87 BCE)
Mother – Not known
Spouses – m. 86 BCE, div. 82 BCE – Antistia; m. 82 BCE – Aemilia (100 – 82 BCE); m. 79 BCE div. 61 BCE – Mucia Tertia; m. 59 BCE – Julia (76 – 54 BCE); m. 52 BCE – Cornelia Metella (b. c73 BCE)
Children – by Mucia Tertia – Gnaeus Pompeius (75 – 45 BCE), Pompeia Magna (c75 – c35 BCE), Sextus Pompeius (67 – 35 BCE)
Please note: we have chosen to use the new format BCE (before common era) rather than the old BC (before Christ)
EARLY YEARS
106 BCE (29th September)
Pompey Magnus was born Gnaeus Pompey Magnus at Picenum, Italy. His father was Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, a wealthy Roman, the identity of his mother is not known.
104 BCE (during)
Pompey’s father became Quaestor of Rome.
92 BCE (during)
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompey’s father became Praetor of Rome.
89 BCE (during)
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo became Consul of Rome.
89 BCE (during)
Pompey Magnus served in the army commanded by his father during the Social Wars.
87 BCE (during)
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompey’s father, died. Pompey Magnus inherited his father’s lands and army.
86 BCE (during)
Pompey married Antistia, the daughter of a Praetor named Antistius who had been impressed by Pompey.
83 BCE (during)
Pompey supported the Roman General and Statesman, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, against Gnaeus Papirius Carbo and the Marian faction, led by Gaius Marius, in Rome.
82 BCE (during)
Lucius Cornelius Sulla defeated the Marians and became Dictator of Rome. He persuaded Pompey to divorce his wife Antistia.
82 BCE (during)
Pompey Magnus married Sulla’s daughter Aemilia Scaura. She died later that year.
82 BCE (during)
Pompey secured Sicily for Sulla.
81 BCE (during)
Pompey secured the Roman province in North Africa for Sulla.
81 BCE (during)
There was tension between Pompey and Sulla because despite his military successes, Sulla refused to grant Pompey a tribute.
79 BCE (during)
Pompey Magnus married Mucia Tertia, daughter of Quintus Mucius Scaevola.
78 BCE (around)
A son, Gnaeus Pompeius was born to Pompey Magnus and Mucia Tertia.
78 BCE (during)
Pompey supported Marcus Aemilius Lepidus who became Consul of Rome.
78 BCE (during)
Lucius Cornelius Sulla died.
78 BCE (during)
A grand funeral was arranged for Sulla. Lepidus attempted to block the lavish celebration but Pompey stepped in and defeated Lepidus.
POLITICAL LADDER
77 BCE (during)
Pompey requested that he be made Proconsul. He was sent to Hispania (Spain) to deal with Quintus Sertorius a popularis who was against the Senate.
76 BCE (during)
Pompey arrived in Hispania began his campaign to bring it under the control of the Empire.
c.75 BCE (during)
A daughter, Pompeia Magna was born to Pompey Magnus and Mucia Tertia.
71 BCE (early)
Pompey succeeded in bringing Hispania under the control of the Senate.
71 BCE (31st December)
Pompey was given a tribute for his successes in Spain
70 BCE (during)
Pompey served as Consul with Marcus Licinius Crassus who had defeated the slave uprising of Spartacus.
67 BCE (around)
A son, Sextus Pompey was born to Pompey Magnus and Mucia Tertia.
67 BCE (during)
Lex Gabinia
This law was proposed by Aulus Gabinius, tribune of the Plebs. It granted Pompey extraordinary proconsular powers in any region within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea and was introduced to allow Pompey to deal with pirates that were patrolling the Mediterranean Sea and preventing grain from reaching Rome.
This law was proposed by Aulus Gabinius, tribune of the Plebs. It granted Pompey extraordinary proconsular powers in any region within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea and was introduced to allow Pompey to deal with pirates that were patrolling the Mediterranean Sea and preventing grain from reaching Rome.
66 BCE (Summer)
Pompey had successfully cleared the Mediterranean Sea of pirates thus ensuring an uninterrupted grain supply to Rome.
66 BCE (late)
Pompey was given an extended command of the army and sent to defeat Mithridates in the East.
65 BCE (during)
Pompey defeated Mithridates.
64 BCE (during)
Pompey conquered Syria and made it a Roman province.
63 BCE (during)
Pompey Magnus conquered Phoenicia (Lebanon), and made it a Roman province.
63 BCE (during)
Pompey gained control of Jerusalem and made it subservient to Syria.
61 BCE (September 29th)
Pompey was given a tribute in Rome.
FIRST TRIUMVIRATE
60 BCE (December)
First Triumvirate Alliance
Pompey Magnus formed an unofficial alliance (first triumvirate) with Julius Caesar and Crassus. In return for their support Caesar would champion measures that would benefit them all. Cicero, who was in exile, was offered the chance to be part of the alliance but declined.
Pompey Magnus formed an unofficial alliance (first triumvirate) with Julius Caesar and Crassus. In return for their support Caesar would champion measures that would benefit them all. Cicero, who was in exile, was offered the chance to be part of the alliance but declined.
59 BCE (early)
Agrarian Bill
Pompey supported this bill put forward by Julius Caesar that would redistribute wasteland in Italy to Pompey’s soldiers and homeless poor people.
Pompey supported this bill put forward by Julius Caesar that would redistribute wasteland in Italy to Pompey’s soldiers and homeless poor people.
59 BCE (May)
Pompey Magnus married Julius Caesar’s daughter, Julia.
58 BCE (during)
Pompey was made governor of Hispaniola but remained in Rome to deal with the supply of grain.
58 BCE (during)
Clodius Pulcher, tribune of the Plebs, spoke against Pompey.
57 BCE (August)
Pompey helped Cicero to return to Rome from exile. Cicero then supported Pompey against Clodius.
57 BCE (During)
Pompey, Crassus and Cicero were becoming increasingly concerned about the growing popularity of Julius Caesar.
56 BCE (April)
Luca Conference
This conference, called by Julius Caesar and held at Luca, was attended by Julius Caesar, Pompey Magnus and Crassus. An agreement was reached whereby Caesar’s governorship of Gaul was extended for a further five years, Pompey and Crassus would be elected as Consuls from 55 BCE and would afterwards be given the provinces of Spain and Syria respectively.
This conference, called by Julius Caesar and held at Luca, was attended by Julius Caesar, Pompey Magnus and Crassus. An agreement was reached whereby Caesar’s governorship of Gaul was extended for a further five years, Pompey and Crassus would be elected as Consuls from 55 BCE and would afterwards be given the provinces of Spain and Syria respectively.
56 BCE (during)
Relations between Pompey and Crassus were becoming increasingly strained. There was unrest in Rome due to several poor harvests resulting in a grain shortage. Many people blamed Caesar’s Agrarian Law.
55 BCE (during)
Pompey and Crassus served as joint Consuls for the year. However, it had taken much bribery to secure their positions.
54 BCE (September)
Pompey’s young wife Julia, Julius Caesar’s daughter, died in childbirth. Julia’s death meant there was no longer a tie between Pompey and Caesar.
53 BCE (June)
Battle of Carrhae
Crassus was killed in this battle against the Parthian Empire.
Crassus was killed in this battle against the Parthian Empire.
53 BCE (after June)
With Crassus dead and the marriage tie between Caesar and Pompey broken, the Triumvirate fell apart
52 BCE (during)
Pompey married Cornelia Mettella, the daughter of Scipio, enemy of Julius Caesar.
52 BCE (during)
Clodius was murdered. Seeking revenge his supporters set fire to the Senate House. The Senate called on Pompey to diffuse the situation. After successfully regaining peace Pompey was made sole consul of Rome. This effectively made him Dictator.
CIVIL WAR
51 BCE (During)
Julius Caesar was in Gaul. Pompey refused to grant him the position of Consul in absentia and ordered him to return to Rome unarmed and face re-election.
49 BCE (January)
Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon river with his thirteenth legion and marched on Rome. This action marked the beginning of Civil War in Rome.
49 BCE (February)
Pompey decided that he could not raise a force to defeat Caesar so he and other senators left Rome bound for Greece. Unfortunately they forgot to take the treasury with them.
49 BCE (March – August)
Rather than immediately attacking Rome, Julius Caesar defeated forces in Spain that were loyal to Pompey.
49 BCE (April – September)
Julius Caesar lay siege to Massilia (Marseille) which was loyal to Pompey. The city fell in September.
48 BCE (during)
With Pompey Magnus in Greece, Julius Caesar served as Consul of Rome.
48 BCE (10th July)
Battle of Dyrrhachium
This battle was fought between the forces of Pompey and Julius Caesar. Pompey managed to force Caesar into retreat.
This battle was fought between the forces of Pompey and Julius Caesar. Pompey managed to force Caesar into retreat.
48 BCE (9th August)
Battle of Pharsalus
This second battle between the forces of Pompey and Caesar saw Caesar victorious. Pompey fled to Egypt.
This second battle between the forces of Pompey and Caesar saw Caesar victorious. Pompey fled to Egypt.
48 BCE (28th September)
Pompey arrived in Egypt but as he reached shore he was stabbed to death by Achillas, Septimius and Salvius who believed that out of gratitude Caesar would support Ptolemy XIII of Egypt.
48 BCE (October)
Julius Caesar pursued Pompey to Egypt. Upon arrival was presented with Pompey’s head. Caesar was horrified at the murder of Pompey and demanded a return of money Egypt owed to Rome. He took the city of Alexandria in Egypt for his headquarters. He also decided to back Cleopatra rather than her brother.
First published Sept 2014; Updated and re-published May 05 2021 @ 2:35 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2014 – 2021). Pompey Magnus 106 BCE – 48 BCE.