+Cicero as Governor.+ His administration seems to have been just, considerate and popular.
For +Cicero’s Ideal of a Roman Governor+, see _Ep. ad Q. F._ i. 1 (Q. Cicero governed Asia as Propraetor 62-58 B.C.)
_Nec quemquam iam ferre potest Caesarve priorem Pompeiusve parem._ --LUCAN.
+56 B.C. By the Conference at Luca+ it was arranged:--
(i) to give Caesar a new term of five years’ government in which to complete his work in Gaul (until March 1, 49);
(ii) to give Pompeius the government of the two Spains, and Crassus that of Syria, for five years also.
It was further agreed that Pompeius and Crassus should have the consulship for 55 B.C.
+52 B.C. Pompeius Sole Consul.+ So things continued until 52 B.C., when the constant rioting (Clodius v. Milo), and utter lawlessness prevailing in Rome +gave Pompeius his opportunity+. The Senate in their distress caused Pompeius to be nominated sole Consul, with supreme power to meet the crisis. The death of Julia in 54 and of Crassus in 53 had removed the two strongest influences for peace, and from 52 onwards the breach between Pompeius and Caesar began to widen.
During Caesar’s long absence from Rome his opponents, with Cato at their head, were waiting their chance to impeach him for numerous acts in his province, as soon as he appeared in Rome for the consular elections. He would then be merely a private citizen, and as such amenable to prosecution. Now Caesar’s proconsulship of Gaul was to terminate on March 1, 49, and the consular elections would take place at the earliest in the following summer. +There would therefore be an interval between the two offices+, and Caesar would be exposed to the utmost peril, if he gave up province and army on March 1, 49. Caesar had long foreseen this. When the law was passed in 55, which added a fresh term of five years to his government, +Pompeius seems to have inserted in it+ (doubtless in accordance with a previous promise to Caesar) +a clause prohibiting the discussion of a successor before March 1, 50+. Caesar therefore could not be superseded except by the consuls of 49, and these would not be able to succeed him (as proconsuls) till Jan. 1, 48. He would thus be able to retain his army and government throughout the year 49.