![]() Roman satirists ever after referred to the year as "the consulship of Julius and Caesar". These attempts to obstruct Caesar's legislation proved ineffective. ![]() In fear of his life, he retired to his house for the rest of the year, issuing occasional proclamations of bad omens. His lictors had their fasces broken, two tribunes accompanying him were wounded, and Bibulus himself had a bucket of excrement thrown over him. Bibulus attempted to declare the omens unfavourable and thus void the new law, but was driven from the forum by Caesar's armed supporters. Pompey filled the city with soldiers, and the triumvirate's opponents were intimidated. Ĭaesar proposed a law for the redistribution of public lands to the poor, a proposal supported by Pompey, by force of arms if need be, and by Crassus, making the triumvirate public. Caesar also married again, this time Calpurnia, daughter of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, who was elected to the consulship for the following year. This informal alliance, known as the First Triumvirate (rule of three men), was cemented by the marriage of Pompey to Caesar's daughter Julia. Between the three of them, they had enough money and political influence to control public business. Pompey and Crassus had been at odds since they were consuls together in 70 BC, and Caesar knew if he allied himself with one he would lose the support of the other, so he endeavoured to reconcile them. Ĭaesar was already in Crassus' political debt, but he also made overtures to Pompey, who was unsuccessfully fighting the Senate for ratification of his eastern settlements and farmland for his veterans. Caesar and Bibulus were elected as consuls. Caesar canvassed Cicero for support, and made an alliance with the wealthy Lucceius, but the establishment threw its financial weight behind the conservative Bibulus, and even Cato, with his reputation for incorruptibility, is said to have resorted to bribery in his favour. Three candidates stood for the consulship in 59 BC: Caesar, Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus who had been aedile with Caesar several years earlier, and Lucius Lucceius. Bust of Julius Caesar, posthumous portrait in marble, 44–30 BC, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican Museums
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