Crass Mark Licinius: biography

Without a talent for politics, he compensated for his fabulous size of his capital. He dreamed of the glory of the commander, but his military victory was attributed to another person. He tried to win the people's love, but only got the nickname "rich." And yet Crassus Mark Licinius remained in history not only as a rich man, but also as a winner of the rebellious Spartacus.

Childhood and youth of the future commander

Mark Licinius Crassus was born in 115 BC in a noble Roman family. The genus Liciniev belongs to one of the influential plebeian families in ancient Rome, which has a long history. Mark's father was a consul, then a governor in Spain. For suppressing the Spanish uprising, the supreme senate honored him with triumph. In addition to Mark, the family also grew two older sons. The father and one of the brothers Mark Krass died in 87 BC before the dictatorship of the consular army of Gaius Maria. Mark himself could hardly avoid such a fate. From early childhood, the boy did not stand out among his peers a good memory and a love of knowledge. But he was distinguished by diligence and perseverance. In it, early discovered brilliant abilities of the businessman, who knows how to benefit from everything.

Business qualities of Crassus

Commercial operations succeeded young Mark much easier than public speaking, so necessary to begin a political career. Crassus Mark Licinius rented land, participated in shopping campaigns, bought up slaves, then, after training their craft and sciences, sell at exorbitant prices. His condition gradually grew. Over time, Mark Licinia began to recognize on the street, his name was increasingly mentioned among traders, but the way to politics for him was still closed. In 83 BC , the outlawed commander Sulla unleashed one of the bloodiest civil wars in the history of the Roman Empire. The army of Sulla was advancing towards Rome. Like other rich Romans, merchant Crass Mark Licinius without hesitation took the side of the rebel.

Recognition of Mark Licinius in Rome

On his own money, he armed an entire army of two and a half thousand people. Marka Licinia's gold turned into swords, shields, spears, bows and arrows. The calculations were justified: he was on the side of the winner. When Rome capitulated, the new dictator Sulla generously rewarded the future commander. In addition, Crassus Mark Licinius significantly increased his fortune by confiscating or buying for a pittance at auction the property of those unfortunates who, on the orders of Sulla, fell into the proscription list and became a victim of terror. Thus, Mark became unheard of rich. To win the people's love, he once arranged a meal for the people of Rome, ordering to cover 10,000 tables. And although the Romans praised Crassus, nicknamed the rich, Mark Licinius dreamed of more - about the military exploits and glory of the commander.

The internal confrontation of the Roman Empire

Hard times for the Roman state come in 74 BC. In Spain, the general indignation of tribes increased, and in the eastern part of Italy there was a war with Mithridates VI. In 73 BC, when an uprising of slaves under the leadership of Spartacus took place in ancient Rome, the rich man Mark Licinius Crassus decided that his hour had come and he would be able to satisfy his ambition, gaining fame in battle. Mark Crassus and Spartacus - this is a great confrontation of representatives of different classes. Having received the consent of the Senate, the businessman put forward two legions under his control to meet the army of Spartacus. But in the first battle with the rebels, the Romans were routed, and Crassus's reputation was in jeopardy.

Suppression of insurgent slaves

However, he is not used to losing. To restore the army morale, Mark Licinius Crassus followed the ancient ruthless custom of decimation. He ordered the execution of every tenth warrior, and this cruelty had an effect. By his order, the legionnaires dug a deep ditch 55 kilometers long, and a shaft was piled behind it . This line of fortifications blocked the army of Spartacus on the Brutus peninsula, pressing it to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. And although the rebel managed to get out of the Bruttian trap, Mark Crass (there was obviously no photo in those days, instead of them we bring to your attention images of sculptures and pictures) suppressed the slave rebellion, winning the decisive battle in 71 BC. But the laurels of the winner had to be shared with the commander of Pompeii, who smashed the remnants of the army of Spartacus and brutally punished the prisoners. The authority of Mark Crass increased when in 70 BC, and then in the 55th he was elected consul for a year. But the rich Krass could not win the love and support of the people and alone to hold onto the political Olympus of Ancient Rome.

The first steps in big politics

Then he began to support the beginning politician Gaius Julius Caesar rushing to power. Caesar and Marcus Crassus are very close in their political views on the future of the Roman Empire. To secure Yulia's victory in the elections, Crassus and Pompey made an alliance with him. So in 60 BC there was a triumvirate of the strongest people of the state (Pompey, Mark Crassus and Julius Caesar), who began to rule Rome. In this alliance of power, mind and gold, Pompey's power and Caesar's wisdom were combined with the wealth of Crassus. This seizure of power will last a little less than seven years, that is, until the very demise of Mark Licinius.

New Syrian governor

Mark Crassus (whose biography this confirms) becomes governor of Syria, taking from Gabinius two legions of select warriors, which opened up new opportunities for enrichment. But, in addition, Mark Licinius saw himself as the owner of the treasures of the Parthian kingdom - a powerful power that stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea. Parthia seemed to him an easy prey. Many tried to dissuade the sixty-year-old commander from hasty and rash decisions. But in 54 BC Crassus Mark Licinius started the war with the Parthians.

Events Parthian War

What caused the triumvir to invade the Parthian possessions is not known for certain. The first conflicts between the two powers (the Roman Republic and the Parthian Kingdom) arose in 92 BC. Diplomatic relations were even established between the two countries. Apparently, the main reason was the military conflict over the seizure of Armenia (the preliminary agreement was on the line of delineation of the seized territory along the Euphrates River).

The last battle at Carrah

Already in one of the first battles the youngest son of Mark Crass Publius was killed. The numerical superiority of the Romans did not give the expected result. More competent tactical and strategic actions of the Parthian army allowed it to attack the enemy from the flanks and deliver qualitative strikes against enemy positions. Frequent frontal attacks and flanking cover fettered the light infantry of the Romans. In the end, this led to a complete defeat of the Roman army. In one of the counterattacks, the cavalry of Publius Crassus was destroyed, and the commander himself was captured. The head of Mark's son Crassus was sent to the Parthian king. The main reason for the defeat at Carrah modern military experts see in heavy uniforms of Roman soldiers, the weight of ammunition, which reached 50 kilograms.

The Parthian war became fatal for Mark Krass himself. According to the description of the historian Plutarch, Mark died in the battle of the city of Carra in Mesopotamia on May 6, 53 BC. The severed head and hand of the commander were sent to the king of Parthia. There is a legend that in the throat of Crassus the winners poured molten gold through a special tube so that after the death of the commander and the merchant finally satisfy his desire for profit.

Personal life and heirs

Some sources that have survived to this day claim that the triumvir Mark Licinius Crassus was married to the widow of a deceased brother. The eldest son of Mark Crassus - Tiberius - was a foster and was the direct heir of Publius Crassus. With his wife Tertullah Mark had two sons: Mark and Publius. Both of them had different political weight and social significance in the history of Ancient Rome.

Mark Licinius Crassus (son)

Historical references about the eldest son of the triumvir are rather meager. It is known only that he was born in the first half of 85 BC. At a fairly young age, Mark Crassus (son) became a pontiff, and then for a short time served in Gaul as a quaestor and pro-investor with Julius Caesar. In the Civil War of the Roman Empire, the eldest son of Mark Licinius did not show any special abilities for martial art and was soon appointed as governor of Cisalpine Gaul. Further traces of the young heir are lost. Most likely, his life has ended exactly in Gaul.

The youngest son of the triumvir Crassus

Unlike his father, Publius Crassus had a good syllable and was an excellent speaker. The curiosity, reading and education of the young commander allowed him to get closer to the first speaker of that time - Cicero. It is known that in their private conversations both speakers touched upon the theme of politics and the problems of statehood. Cicero had high hopes for the young speaker, seeing in him his receiver. However, after the speech "On the Alexandrian Tsar," in which the teacher criticized the plans of Crassus Sr. (about the annexation of Egypt to the Roman Empire), Mark Licinius Crassus did everything to break this connection. The political views of the son and father differed, and this ceased to be a family affair, but acquired a public character.

Comprehension of military wisdom

At the request of his father, Publius Crassus sent to serve under the beginning of the great Julius Caesar. The young warrior had excellent military campaigns in Aquitaine and Armorica. Gaius Julius Caesar highly appreciated the commander's abilities of the young commander. On his return home, Mark's son Krass married the daughter of the optimist Cornelia Metella. At the same time, a new political turn begins in the career of Publius Crassus. The father appoints him as his security chief. It is also known that Mark Krass's son was one of the first to attach importance to monetary policy in the state. After the death of Publius at the Battle of Carrah, his wife Cornelia marries Pompey.