Pompey’s Command against the Pirates in 67 BC: a Reconfiguration

Abstract

It is a fact well known to scholars of the late Roman Republic that in 67 BC the tribune Aulus Gabinius introduced a law which was supposed to give enormous competences and resources to one person and that the person Gabinius had in mind, even though the name was not given by him in his proposal, - was no other than Pompey, the most distinguished politician of his time. The background of this law was the problem of piracy, which had become more and more urgent in the years before. In fact after long discussions the law was resolved. Pompey got the command to wage war against the pirates.