''De Imperio Cn. Pompei'' ("On the ''

Imperium In ancient Rome, ''imperium'' was a form of authority held by a citizen to control a military or governmental entity. It is distinct from ''auctoritas'' and ''potestas'', different and generally inferior types of power in the Roman Republic an ...

'' of Gnaeus Pompeius"), also known as ''Pro Lege Manilia'' ("In Favour of the

Manilian Law The ''lex Manilia'' (Law of Manilius) was a Roman law passed in 66 BC granting Pompey the military command in the East against Mithridates VI of Pontus. Background Previously, the war against Mithridates (commonly known as the Third Mith ...

"), was a speech delivered by

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 estab ...

in 66 BC before the Roman popular assembly. It was in support of the proposal made by

Gaius Manilius Gaius Manilius was a Roman tribune of the plebs in 66 BC. He is primarily known for his Lex Manilia, the bill which gave Pompey the Great command of the war against Mithridates. Career Freedmen Bill At the beginning of his year of office as t ...

, a tribune of the people, that

Pompey the Great 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 ...

be given sole command against Mithridates in the

Third Mithridatic War The Third Mithridatic War (73–63 BC), the last and longest of the three Mithridatic Wars, was fought between Mithridates VI of Pontus and the Roman Republic. Both sides were joined by a great number of allies dragging the entire east of the ...

. Cicero advertised Pompey as the only man with the skills for the campaign but also attempted to avoid offending the senatorial aristocracy unnecessarily. However, by supporting Pompey, Cicero had publicly committed himself.

References

External links

''De Lege Manilia'', English Translation
at ''attalus.org'' * Orations of Cicero 66 BC {{AncientRome-stub