Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (character of Rome)
Encyclopedia : G : GN : GNA : Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (character of Rome)
| Rome character | |
| Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus |
| Class | Patrician |
| Family | Quintus Valerius Pompey (son)Cornelia Metella (wife) |
| Allies | Optimates Cato the Younger Scipio Marcus Junius Brutus Gaius Cassius Longinus |
| Enemies | Gaius Julius Caesar |
| Appearances | 1-1 "The Stolen Eagle" 1-2 "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic" 1-3 "An Owl in a Thornbush" 1-4 "Stealing from Saturn" 1-5 "The Ram Has Touched the Wall" 1-6"Egeria" 1-7 "Pharsalus" |
| Portrayed by | Kenneth Cranham |
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Kenneth Cranham. He is depicted as a legendary general, past the days of his prime, who tries to recapture the glories of his youth as much as to do what is right for the Republic. The real Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus was a Roman general and politician, who, while as ambitious as Caesar, and just as unorthodox in his youth, chose to ally himself with Optimates in opposing Caesar and supporting the traditional Roman Republic.
Personality
Character history
Elderly general who in his younger years was a Spanish and Syrian conqueror. He is a co-Consul and Interim leader of the Republic who chooses to side with the patricians. He is also a friend and mentor to Caesar
Comparison to the historical Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus
Pompey's father, Pompeius Strabo, was a wealthy provincial who was the first of his family to be consul: Pompey was therefore a noble, but a first generation noble who would have been looked down upon by patricians like Brutus. He emerged as a precocious military commander in his twenties during the civil war between Marius and Sulla in 83 BC, fighting on Sulla's side. Before the age of forty he had distinguished himself in campaigns in Africa and Spain, cleared the Mediterranean of pirates, conquered most of the eastern Mediterranean and become hugely popular, but he was regarded with suspicion by the Senate, who refused to ratify his treaties or give land to his veterans.
In 59 BC Pompey made a secret pact, known as the First Triumvirate, with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Julius Caesar. The alliance was sealed by Pompey's marriage to Caesar's daughter Julia. Caesar was elected consul and forced through Crassus and Pompey's legislation, including a settlement for Pompey's veterans, by bribery and intimidation. At the end of his year in office he secured an extended provincial governorship to maintain his immunity from prosecution, and used it to launch his conquest of Gaul, which, although illegal by the terms of his appointment, won him great wealth and popularity. Meanwhile, Pompey and Crassus struggled with the optimate faction of the Senate for control of Rome, and both sides organised violent gangs to control the streets.
The Triumvirate fell apart in 54 BC when both Crassus and Julia (two years earlier than in the series) died. Caesar offered Pompey his grand-niece Octavia Minor, who was already married to Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor, but he refused her hand and married Scipio's daughter Cornelia instead. This put Pompey firmly in the optimate camp, and the bond was strengthened when the Senate, faced with rising street violence, gave Pompey emergency powers to restore order.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.