TRIUMVIRATE: ROMAN TRIUMVIRATES, MODERN TRIUMVIRATES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The triumvirate refers to a form of government that is carried out thanks to the union of three people who usually form an alliance. The name was born in Ancient Rome, during the 1st century BC, when the first agreements were formed to control power using this form of government.

The first triumvirates had no relationship with the duunvirate, nor with the decenvirate, forms of government that had already been used in the past.

Busts of the first three triumvirs of the Roman territory. Source: Mary Harrsch, via Wikimedia Commons.

In Rome there were two periods where the triumvirate was used as a method of government. The first occurred between 60 and 53 BC. It was born from the alliance between Marco Licinius Crassus, Pompey the Great and Gaius Julius Caesar. Although this union was never considered legal or official.

Later, between 43 and 38 BC, César Octaviano, Marco Emilio Lépido and Marco Antonio joined forces to start with the second triumvirate of the Roman territory which, unlike the first, was official.

The word triumvirate has its origin from two Latin words (trium and virorum), which means "of three men."

First Roman triumvirate

The first triumvirate in Rome was an informal agreement reached by Julius Caesar, Marco Licinius Crassus, and Pompey the Great. This political union occurred in 60 BC. At that time all three were prominent figures in the Roman government, although Julius Caesar was the one who had less relevance.

Julius Caesar was in charge of governing the area of ​​Gaul after submitting it in the war of the same name, which gave him great popularity among the Romans. Crassus, whose importance in the triumvirate was due to his economic and political support for Julius Caesar, took care of Asia Minor, while Pompey remained in Rome.

Crassus and Julius Caesar undertook different campaigns during the period of their joint government. The latter completely conquered the area of ​​Gaul and subdued the Belgians and Swiss, even approaching the coasts of Great Britain.

Crassus, for his part, went to the eastern area. He sacked Jerusalem and tried to conquer India. He lost his life in a battle, while trying to further expand his domain.

Allies

Julius Caesar was the promoter of starting to use this form of government. Upon his return from Spain he wanted to acquire more political power and decided to go in search of allies to be able to face the Senate.

Julius Caesar first joined Pompey and both promised each other mutual support to achieve their goals. To seal this alliance, Caesar married his daughter Julia to his co-ruler.

Then Crassus appeared, who was the owner of the greatest wealth in the Roman territory and who did not have a good relationship with Pompey. He also decided to join the alliance, which was initially kept secret.

The union was only public when the Senate blocked the agrarian reform of Julius Caesar, which was publicly supported by Pompey and Crassus.

Final

Julius Caesar ultimately concentrated all the power of the Roman government. Crassus died, along with his son Publio Licinius, in the battle of Carras in 53 BC. His death marked the end of the triumvirate.

Then the disputes between Julius Caesar and Pompey began. The Senate convinced the second to get the ruler to be tried. Thus began a civil war in which Caesar defeated his former ally during the Battle of Pharsalia in 48 BC.

With the victory, Julius Caesar was left with all control in the Roman territory, a power that he maintained until 44 BC when he was assassinated by members of the Senate who conspired to end his life.

Second Roman triumvirate

The power vacuum that occurred due to the assassination of Julius Caesar caused the triumvirate to be used again as a form of government in Rome. This time it was a legally recognized union thanks to the Ticia law and brought together Marco Antonio, César Octaviano and Marco Emilio Lépido.

The three figures of this period reached an agreement to join forces in their fight against republicanism, despite the fact that César Octaviano had been appointed by Julius Caesar, his uncle, as his successor.

Marco Antonio and Lepido, for their part, were two important figures during the previous ruler's tenure. Because of these links with the ancient Roman politician and military, the triumvirs decided to take action against those responsible for the death of Caesar, as well as against those who were against their ideas.

More than two thousand people were executed during this period. Marco Tulio Cicero was the most famous case, as his execution was ordered in 43 BC and the fact that his head and hands were later exposed.

They governed generating terror and under the clear premise that no one could challenge or question the decisions made in the triumvirate.

The triumvirs were known as Consuls of the Roman territory, although their power was actually greater than that granted by a consulate.

Differences with the first triumvirate

The second Roman triumvirate had many differences in relation to the first stage of this form of government. To begin with, it had a legal and official character, which allowed its members to make laws, promulgate decrees, start wars and have more power than any other magistrate in Rome.

Each member of the second triumvirate had a territory in his charge. Marco Antonio had Gaul Cisalpina and Transalpina, Lépido received the rest of the lands of Gaul and other lands that were close to Spain; while Octavio took charge of Africa, Sicily and Sardinia.

It was established that the triumvirate would only last five years. This was not fulfilled, since Caesar Octavian and Marco Antonio renewed their powers without consultation in 37 BC.

Final

As happened during the first Roman triumvirate, the end of this form of government came due to the desire of its individuals to concentrate all political power. Lepidus was forced by Caesar Octavian to resign.

On the other hand, Marco Antonio was focused on his relationship with Cleopatra and did not care about the political needs of the country. The Senate declared this consul as an enemy, which caused him to commit suicide shortly after, after Octavian defeated him in the Battle of Accio.

Octavian, who was also known as Julius Caesar Octavian, then became the sole ruler and therefore the new emperor of the territory of Rome. The Senate gave him the name Caesar Augusto.

Modern triumphs

The triumvirates were used several times in recent times in world history. In France, for example, the use of the three figures to govern occurred on two occasions.

The first occurred in the year 1561, when the wars of religion began in that country. The form of government was then repeated at the end of the 18th century when Cambacérès, Napoleon Bonaparte and Lebrun were appointed as consuls.

In Israel, one can speak of the presence of a triumvirate between 2008 and 2009, when they had a prime minister, a foreign minister and a defense minister who concentrated all political power.

The Soviet Union used the triumvirate on several occasions as well. In 1922 it was the first, when Lenin suffered a stroke, although it only lasted a few months. The situation was repeated for three months in 1953, this time after the death of Joseph Stalin.

The longest triumvirate in the Soviet Union was between 1964 and 1977, after Khrushchev was removed from office. Mentions of this stage speak of a leadership that was collective. Power was distributed between a premier, a secretary general and the president of the supreme.

America

Argentina was one of the nations that most often used the triumvirate as a form of government. He did it up to seven times. Three of its triumvirates were in the 19th century and the other four occurred in the 20th century, when two military boards and two boards of armed forces commanders were formed.

In Uruguay, in 1853 it was also governed with this three-figure format. While in Venezuela the same happened when it was governed with the idea of ​​a triumvirate. It was between the years 1810 and 1812 when the position of the president of the republic alternated between three different people.

A very current case is that of New York. In this city of the United States, power is distributed among three entities: the governor, the representative of the New York assembly and the leader of the majority party in the state senate.

characteristics

The triumvirate refers to a form of government that was born in ancient Rome and that aimed to assume total control at the political level.

The main characteristic of this type of government, and also the most obvious, is that a single entity will never take power, as happens in the presidential models of government. Neither are decisions made by a single person, as happened during monarchies. Here a total of three figures participate.

References

1. Bunson, M. (2002). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. New York: Facts On File.
2. Definition of tT. Retrieved from definicion.de
3. Merivale, C. (1907). The Roman triumvirates. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
4. Triumvirate - ancient Roman office. (2019). Recovered from britannica.com
5. Wasson, D. First Triumvirate. Retrieved from ancient.eu