Desperate Times, Desperate Measures - Pompey’s Sole Consulship
By 52 BC, Rome found itself in a state of chaos. Endless bouts of street fighting between the mobs of two political heavyweights – Milo and Clodius – had paralyzed the city and left the Senate House in flames. Governmental business had ground to a standstill, consular elections were suspended, and the city had become unsafe as the rival mobs wreaked havoc. To many in Rome, the republic appeared to be under direct threat, and urgent action was demanded in the Senate. Under these circumstances, an extraordinary step was taken to tackle the situation – Pompey the Great was established as a sole consul for the year, giving him an absolute level of power to restore authority in the city. With the constraints of a consular colleague removed, Pompey was tasked with confronting these bloodthirsty gangs head on and bringing justice to the people of Rome. However, whilst such a command may appear truly incredible within the context of the Roman Republic, as we shall see, this step did