Consulship of Pompey and Crassus

- Pompey had impressed Sulla with his help in 83BC against Marius and his followers and had been granted a triumph and hailed as imperator.

-(Sulla had made Pompey the exception to his reforms- allowing him to advance beyond his years).

- Pompey had caused some concerns however by helping Lepidus gain the consulship in 78BC, who immediately reversed many of Sulla's reforms.

-These included: renewing corn distributions, restoring the tribune's powers, recalling men Sulla had exiled and giving back land to farmers dispossessed by Sulla.

-Pompey, alongside Metellus, was in Spain fighting Sertorius who was a Marian supported who had fled to Africa with other commanders in 83BC.

-However Sertorius returned to Spain in 80BC to become leader of a Spanish tribe, the Lusitanians, on their request.

-Sertorius had defeated several senatorial forces, claiming that he was fighting not against Rome but against Sulla's illegal rule.

- Sertorius was eventually killed by Perpena who was then subsequently killed by Pomepy in 71(Pompey now called 'the teenage-butcher).

-Pompey was fair in his treatment of the defeated Spaniards and granted citizenship to all who had fought him which therefore creates a favourable attitude towards Pompey.

-Both consuls were defeated in the uprising.

-Both Pompey and Crassus showed power through privately-funded and privately-raised armies.

-Crassus was part of the initial stand against Spartacus but Pompey came in at the last moment on his was back from Spain.

-Popmey was awarded and Crassus had ovation.

-Agreed to campaign together on the back of the success for the consulship of 70BC ~Crassus had risen up the cursus honorum but Pompey who was 33, the campaign would be his first senatorial post.

-During the consulship, they reversed the remainder of Sulla's legislation (despite their earlier support for it).

-Pompey restored full powers of the tribunes which was a popular act, done under the guise of 'rewarding the people' for their goodwill towards him)- aware of the future benefits the tribunes could have for him.

-Lex Aurelia 75BC- enabled tribunes to hold further offices and Pompey restored the power of veto and legislative powers.

-Restored powers of the censors, who immediately removed 64 senators who were replaced with Pompeian supporters.

-Juries to be comprimised of senators, equites, and tribune aerarii (the next wealth group down) to ensure fair trials.