Pompeius Strabo

Pompeius Strabo

Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo (died 87 BC), whose cognomen means "cross eyed", is often referred to in English as Pompey Strabo to distinguish him from Strabo, the geographer. Strabo lived in the Roman Republic. Strabo was born and raised into a noble family in Picenum (modern Marche & Abruzzo) a rural district in Northern Italy, off the Adriatic coast. Strabo's mother was called Lucilia. Lucilia’s family originated from Suessa Aurunca (modern Sessa Aurunca) and she was a sister of satire poet Gaius Lucilius. Lucilius was a friend of Roman general Scipio Aemilianus Africanus. Strabo’s paternal grandfather was Gnaeus Pompeius, while his father was Sextus Pompeius. His elder brother was Sextus Pompeius and his sister was Pompeia. His brother was the father of another Sextus Pompeius and Quintus Pompeius, the first of whom was the father of another Sextus Pompeius, Consul in 35 BC (not to be confused with Sextus Pompeius, enemy of the Triumvirate, who died the same year), in turn the father of still another Sextus Pompeius.

Strabo became the first of his branch of the gens Pompeia to achieve senatorial status in Rome, despite the anti-rural prejudice of the Roman Senate. After proving his military talent, he climbed the cursus honorum and became promagistrate in Sicily 93 BC and consul in the year 89 BC, in the midst of the Social War.

Strabo commanded Roman forces against the Italian Allies in the northern part of Italy. His three Roman legions were instrumental in Rome's victory. After his consulship and the war, he retired to Picenum with all of his veteran soldiers. Optimates gave his army to Pompeius Rufus, the new consul. This caused Pompeius Rufus to be murdered by Strabo’s soldiers. He remained there until 87 BC, when he responded to the Optimates' request for help against the Marian Party. Strabo had the habit of playing both ends against the middle in the intense politics of the period. For this Rutilius Rufus referred to him as "the vilest man alive".

In 87 BC Strabo was killed by lightning. His avarice and cruelty had made him hated by the soldiers to such a degree that they tore his corpse from the bier and dragged it through the streets. Cicero describes him (Brut. 47) as "worthy of hatred on account of his cruelty, avarice, and perfidy." His son took the legions back to Picenum once again.

Strabo married a Roman woman whose name is unknown. He had at least two children: a son, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great or Pompey the triumvir, who took as his fourth wife Julia (the daughter of dictator Gaius Julius Caesar), and a daughter called Pompeia.

In his honor his name was given to the cities of Alba Pompeia and Laus Pompeia.