Aulus Pompeius was the name of two Romans from the

gens In ancient Rome, a gens ( or , ; plural: ''gentes'' ) was a family consisting of individuals who shared the same nomen and who claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a ''stirps'' (plural: ''stirpes''). The ''gen ...

Pompeius Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

, who were of plebs status. They lived during the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingd ...

Brother to Quintus Pompeius Rufus, Consul 88 BC

Aulus Pompeius (flourished 2nd century BC) was the son

Quintus Pompeius Quintus Pompeius was the name of various Romans from the gens Pompeia, who were of plebeian status. They lived during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Consul of 141 BC Quintus Pompeius A. f. (flourished 2nd century BC) was the son of an Aulu ...

tribune Tribune () was the title of various elected officials in ancient Rome. The two most important were the tribunes of the plebs and the military tribunes. For most of Roman history, a college of ten tribunes of the plebs acted as a check on the ...

of the plebs in 132 BC, who was an opponent to politician

Tiberius Gracchus Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus ( 163 – 133 BC) was a Roman politician best known for his agrarian reform law entailing the transfer of land from the Roman state and wealthy landowners to poorer citizens. He had also served in the Roma ...

and was the younger brother to the above named. His mother is unknown. Aulus was named after his paternal great, grandfather of the same name. Very little is known on this Aulus Pompeius. He was elected as

of the plebs in 102 BC. His wife's name is not known; they had a son

Bithynicus. According to Greek Historian

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history '' Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which ...

, Aulus Pompeius died in 102 BC, apparently as a result of a curse placed upon him by Battaces, a Phrygian Priest. Diodorus recounts that Battaces was visiting Rome as an

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...

from the temple of " The Great Mother of the Gods" in

Pessinus Pessinus ( el, Πεσσινούς or Πισσινούς) was an Ancient city and archbishopric in Asia Minor, a geographical area roughly covering modern Anatolia (Asian Turkey). The site of the city is now the modern Turkish village of Ballıhisa ...

. Aulus Pompeius, as Tribune, forbade Battaces to wear a golden crown which formed part of his priestly regalia. This provoked a public argument between Battaces and Pompeius on the Forum rostra, during which Battaces cursed Pompeius for insulting The Great Goddess. Pompeius was "immediately struck with a burning fever, after which he lost his voice and was seized with quinsy, dying on the third day." The superstitious people of Rome viewed his death as the result of Battace's curse and thereafter allowed Battaces to wear his full regalia and treated him with respect and honour.Diodorus Siculus 'Library of History' 36.13 1-3

Son of Quintus Pompeius Bithynicus

Aulus Pompeius Bithynicus (flourished 1st century BC) was the son to Senator

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the est ...

’s friend

Bithynicus by an unnamed woman. When dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was murdered in March 44 BC, he was serving as a

praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vario ...

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

. Out of fear of the situation in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Pompeius wrote a letter to Cicero, requesting for his protection, which Cicero promised in his reply. Pompeius was against the political rebel

Sextus Pompeius Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius ( 67 – 35 BC), also known in English as Sextus Pompey, was a Roman military leader who, throughout his life, upheld the cause of his father, Pompey the Great, against Julius Caesar and his supporters during the las ...

, gaining control of

Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 in ...

, however afterwards Pompeius allowed Sextus to control Messina, on the condition that Pompeius would have equal authority of government with Sextus. Afterwards, Sextus ordered Pompeius to be put to death.

Sources for Articles

* http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0499.html * http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2807.html * http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2808.html * http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2809.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pompeius, Aulus Pompeii (Romans)