Crassus and Pompey

-Sulla had saved the Roman Republic, but in doing so had completely trashed the democratic tradition...although you could also argue that this started with Marius, or even the Gracchi brothers.
   -However, Sulla proved to everyone that "might makes right".
-Marcus Licinius Crassus
   -Born in 115 BC.
   -Born into a noble political family, relatives had been consuls and important politicians.
   -Used to support Marius, but were now politically neutral.
   -Crassus had fled to Hispania to avoid the Social War.
-Crassus and Sulla fought alongside each other during the Battle of the Lycene Gate, Crassus' side breaking through and taking Rome.
   -Crassus thought he would be rewarded for this, but was surprisingly overshadowed by Pompey.
   -Crassus was pissed, but instead he focused on rebuilding his family fortune rather than "getting even".
      -He did this both legally and illegally.
         -He invested in silver and slave-trading, and was soon the richest man in Rome.
-Crassus was kind of like Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish from Game of Thrones.
   -He had an army of slaves and was able to quickly acquire lots of property on the cheap through a variety of tactics and political maneuvering.
      -If he was alive today, his "modern-day" wealth would probably be the equivalent of about 170-180 billion USD (as of 2008).
-Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey the Great) was born in 106 BC.
   -Son of Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, a "novus homo" who had a reputation for being a super brutal military leader and corrupt politician.
      -Pompey himself was an army brat who had fought in the legions during the Social War, and had then gone on to Sicily to pacify its pro-Marius rebellions.
         -After pacifying Sicily, Pompey then sailed to Africa to fight off the remaining enemies of Sulla.
-78 BC- Sulla died, replaced as consul by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.
   -Lepidus tried to be consul for a second time, and even attempted to back up his claim with force.
      -As a result, Pompey led an army and crushed Lepidus, removing him from power.
-76 BC- Pompey was made proconsul of Spain.
   -While he was there he quelled pro-Marius rebellions.
-After all of this, Pompey began to look east to fight Mithridates VI, who was causing trouble again.