Rome’s Fragile Peace: Surface Calm and Hidden Tensions

The year 62 BCE appeared outwardly prosperous for Rome—the Catiline Conspiracy had been crushed, and the Senate basked in its victory. Yet beneath this facade, political currents swirled dangerously. While citizens initially cheered the Senate’s harsh suppression of Catiline’s followers (including five executions and 3,000 soldier deaths), public sentiment soon soured into regret. The 24-year-old historian Sallust would later critique these excesses in The Conspiracy of Catiline. Meanwhile, 38-year-old praetor Julius Caesar keenly observed this shift in mood, positioning himself to exploit the unrest.

With the Senate nervously anticipating Pompey’s return from his triumphant Eastern campaigns, Rome stood at a crossroads. The “Sullan Reforms” had expanded the praetors to eight, and Caesar—now among them—masterfully manipulated both public opinion and his senatorial rivals.

The Senate’s Dilemma: Pompey’s Shadow and Populist Gambits

Caesar seized the moment by attacking Quintus Lutatius Catulus, the Senate’s conservative leader, accusing him of absenteeism and proposing Pompey replace him. The Senate bristled—not out of loyalty to Catulus, but from fear of Pompey’s popularity and his undispersed army.

Forced to adapt, the Senate pivoted to populism. Cato the Younger proposed expanding the Lex Frumentaria (Grain Law), which had previously subsidized wheat for only 30,000 privileged citizens. By removing restrictions, Cato hoped to win over the plebeians—but this risked bankrupting the state, as costs would skyrocket to 7.5 million sesterces annually. The Senate’s fiscal prudence clashed with its need for public support, all while Pompey, fresh from conquering the East, loomed over Rome like a new Alexander.

Pompey’s Triumph: Wealth, Glory, and Senate’s Dread

Pompey’s Eastern campaign (66–62 BCE) had enriched Rome beyond measure. His troops received unprecedented bonuses:

– Common soldiers: 6,000 sesterces
– Centurions: 120,000 sesterces
– Military tribunes: 1 million sesterces

Rome’s tax revenue doubled, and Pompey’s cultural patronage (funding Athenian theaters, philosophizing in Rhodes) burnished his reputation. Yet the Senate feared his next move: Would he disband his army per Sulla’s rules, or march on Rome as a dictator?

The Bona Dea Scandal: Caesar’s Cunning and Clodia’s Notoriety

Before Pompey’s return, a scandal erupted. Publius Clodius Pulcher, a patrician rogue, disguised himself as a woman to infiltrate Caesar’s home during the secretive Bona Dea festival (an all-female rite). When caught, Caesar’s mother, Aurelia, expelled him—but the damage was done.

Anti-Caesar factions decried the sacrilege, especially since Caesar was Pontifex Maximus (high priest). At trial, witnesses mysteriously “couldn’t identify” Clodius, and Caesar divorced his wife, Pompeia, with the icy quip: “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.” Clodius was acquitted after bribery by Crassus, but he swore vengeance against Cicero for testifying against him.

Caesar’s Calculated Rise: Debt, Women, and Provincial Power

Appointed governor of Hispania Ulterior in 61 BCE, Caesar faced a creditor mob. Only Crassus’s financial backing saved him—a debt that would later shape Rome’s destiny.

### The Enigma of Caesar’s Charisma

Historians puzzle over two aspects of Caesar: his finances and his allure to women. Unlike the “pretty boy” Pompey, Caesar was balding and financially shaky, yet noblewomen—including Crassus’s wife Tertulla and Brutus’s mother Servilia—flocked to him. Notably, he avoided virgins and scorned the infamous Clodia (Clodius’s sister), whose theatrics repelled him.

His secrets? Lavish gifts (like Servilia’s 6-million-sesterces pearl), discretion, and never discarding lovers. Even post-affair, he’d publicly greet ex-mistresses, disarming resentment. As one scholar noted, Caesar possessed “the rare ability to be adored without inspiring hatred.”

Legacy: The Powder Keg of the Late Republic

The events of 62 BCE exposed Rome’s fractures:

– The Senate’s eroding authority
– Pompey’s unchecked military prestige
– Caesar’s emergent populism and cunning

Within decades, these tensions would explode into civil war. Caesar’s handling of the Bona Dea scandal—turning disgrace into dominance—foreshadowed his future: a man who mastered crises, whether political, financial, or romantic. His rise was no accident, but a product of Rome’s unraveling—and his unparalleled skill at navigating its chaos.

For modern readers, 62 BCE offers a masterclass in power: the dangers of hubris (the Senate), the volatility of public favor (Pompey), and the art of turning scandal into advantage (Caesar). In an era of brinkmanship and brinkmanship, Caesar’s genius lay in knowing when to bend—and when to strike.