in their custody awaiting the arrival of the ransom money which they demanded, threatened them with crucifixion , a threat which he fulfilled immediately after his release. He then returned to Rome to engage in a normal political career, starting with the quaetorship which he served in 69-68 BC in the province of Further Spain. In the Roman political world of the sixties the dominance of the optimates was challenged by Pompey and Crassus. The optimates, led by Quintus Lutatius Catulus and Lucius Licinius Lucullus , were chiefly men whose careers had been made by Sulla. Pompey and Crassus were consuls in 70 BC and had rescinded the most offensively reactionary measures of Sulla’s legislation. During Pompey’s absence from 67 to 62 BC during his campaigns against the Mediterranean pirates, Mithridates, and Crassus, his jealous rival. Caesar married Ponpeia after Cornelia’s death and was appointed aedile in 65 BC As aedile, Caesar returned to Marius’ trophies to their former place of honor in the Capitol, thus laying claim to leadership of the populares. When Caesar was a praetor, he supported a tribune who wanted Pompey recalled to restore order in Rome. As a result, Caesar was suspended from office for a period and antagonized Catulus. Before leaving Rome to govern Further Spain for a year, Caesar divorced his wife Pompeia because of the allegation that she had been implicated in the offense of Publius Clodius. The latter was then awaiting trial for breaking into Caesar’s house the previous December disguised as a woman at the festival of the Bona Dea, which no man is allowed to attend. After his return from a successful year administrating Spain Caesar was elected consul for 59 BC through political alliance with Pompey and Crassus . This alliance was called the first triumvirate. Caesar’s purpose was to gain a big military command. Pompey for his part sought the rat...
