Lex Gabinia
Encyclopedia
In the law of ancient Rome
, the Lex Gabinia (Gabinian Law) of 67 BC granted Pompeius Magnus
("Pompey the Great") extraordinary proconsul
ar powers in any province
within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea
. The law was passed by the tribune
Aulus Gabinius
.
The command came with a fleet of 500 warships
, 120,000 infantry
and around 5,000 cavalry
to fight the growing problems of pirates
disrupting trade in the Mediterranean Sea
. Given three years to solve the problem, Pompey managed to defeat the pirates in just three months. Pompey enjoyed huge popularity amongst the plebeians of Rome, but the Roman Senate
was wary of him and his growing power. The Senate were reluctant to give massive powers to any one man, fearing it would allow another Dictator
to seize power as Sulla had done just fifteen years before. The Tribunes though, were able to pass a law conferring huge powers on Pompey to deal with the pirates. The law was proposed by the Tribune Gabinius and therefore was named the Lex Gabinia or Gabinius's Law.
Because most Roman territory was within the 50-mile limit around the Mediterranean, the law gave Pompey, who was then just 39, power over almost every province. This kind of power could easily be exploited, and in fact led to the legions being loyal to him personally, strengthening his position in the state.
(populus), it was unusual for the people to pass such laws contrary to the wishes of the Senate.
The laws set down by Sulla during his dictatorship had been intended to strengthen the Senate and take power away from the plebeians. The passing of the Lex Gabinia, followed by the Lex Manilia
, proved that Sulla's intended new constitution, designed to stop any one man from gaining immense power, was not working; in fact, it produced men who followed Sulla's example rather than his precepts. The passing of the Lex Gabinia was a key development in the collapse of the Senate as the ruling power in Rome. The Senate proved unable to halt the concentration of power into the hands of the popular tribunes like Clodius
and successful generals like Julius Caesar
, who led his forces in the Civil War which was a key factor in the collapse of the Roman Republic
.
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
, the Lex Gabinia (Gabinian Law) of 67 BC granted Pompeius Magnus
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
("Pompey the Great") extraordinary proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
ar powers in any province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The law was passed by the tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
Aulus Gabinius
Aulus Gabinius
Aulus Gabinius, Roman statesman and general, and supporter of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, was a prominent figure in the later days of the Roman Republic....
.
The command came with a fleet of 500 warships
Roman Navy
The Roman Navy comprised the naval forces of the Ancient Roman state. Although the navy was instrumental in the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean basin, it never enjoyed the prestige of the Roman legions...
, 120,000 infantry
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
and around 5,000 cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
to fight the growing problems of pirates
Cilician pirates
The Cilician pirates dominated the Mediterranean Sea from the 2nd century BC up until their speedy suppression by Pompey . Although there were notorious pirate strongholds in Cilicia, Cilician had long been a term for pirates.-Rise of piracy:...
disrupting trade in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Given three years to solve the problem, Pompey managed to defeat the pirates in just three months. Pompey enjoyed huge popularity amongst the plebeians of Rome, but the Roman Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
was wary of him and his growing power. The Senate were reluctant to give massive powers to any one man, fearing it would allow another Dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
to seize power as Sulla had done just fifteen years before. The Tribunes though, were able to pass a law conferring huge powers on Pompey to deal with the pirates. The law was proposed by the Tribune Gabinius and therefore was named the Lex Gabinia or Gabinius's Law.
Because most Roman territory was within the 50-mile limit around the Mediterranean, the law gave Pompey, who was then just 39, power over almost every province. This kind of power could easily be exploited, and in fact led to the legions being loyal to him personally, strengthening his position in the state.
Significance
Though the Senate was theoretically answerable to the Roman peopleSPQR
SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus , referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official emblem of the modern day comune of Rome...
(populus), it was unusual for the people to pass such laws contrary to the wishes of the Senate.
The laws set down by Sulla during his dictatorship had been intended to strengthen the Senate and take power away from the plebeians. The passing of the Lex Gabinia, followed by the Lex Manilia
Lex Manilia
The Lex Manilia was a Roman law established in 66 BC. The proposal of the law was supported by Cicero in his De Imperio Cn...
, proved that Sulla's intended new constitution, designed to stop any one man from gaining immense power, was not working; in fact, it produced men who followed Sulla's example rather than his precepts. The passing of the Lex Gabinia was a key development in the collapse of the Senate as the ruling power in Rome. The Senate proved unable to halt the concentration of power into the hands of the popular tribunes like Clodius
Publius Clodius Pulcher
Publius Clodius Pulcher was a Roman politician known for his popularist tactics...
and successful generals like Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, who led his forces in the Civil War which was a key factor in the collapse of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
.