Pompey, originally Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, called the Great 106-48BC
Roman soldier and politician

At 17 he fought in the Social War against Marius and Cinna. He supported Sulla, and destroyed the remains of the Marian faction in Africa and Sicily. He drove the followers of Lepidus out of Italy, extinguished the Marian party in Spain under Sertorius (76-71BC), annihiliated the remnants of the army of Spartacus and was popularly elected consul for the year 70. A member of the aristocratic party, latterly he had been looked upon with suspicion, but he now espoused the people's cause and carried a law restoring the tribunician power to the people. He cleared the Mediterranean Sea of pirates, defeated Mithridates VI of Pontus, Tigranes of Armenia, and Antiochus of Syria, subdued the Jews and captured Jerusalem, and entered Rome in triumph for the third time in 61. But now his star began to wane. Distrusted by the aristocracy, and second to Julius Caesar in popular favour, the Senate declined to accede to his wish that his acts in Asia should be ratified. He and Caesar, with the plutocrat Crassus, formed the all-powerful 'First Triumvirate'. Pompey's acts in Asia were ratified, Caesar's designs were gained and Caesar's daughter, Julia, was married to Pompey. Jealousies arose, Julia died in 54 and Pompey returned to the aristocratic party. Caesar was ordered to lay down his office, which he consented to do if Pompey would do the same. The Senate insisted on unconditional resignation, otherwise he would be declared a public enemy. But crossing the Rubicon, Caesar defied the Senate and its armies. After his final defeat at Pharsalia in 48, Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was murdered. His younger son, Sextus, secured a fleet manned largely by slaves and exiles, and, occupying Sicily, ravaged the coasts of Italy. But in 36 he was defeated at sea by Agrippa, and in 37 slain at Mitylene.

Bibliography: Peter A L Greenhalgh, Pompey: The Roman Alexander (1980)