The concept “triumvirate” can be defined as a group of three people. This word is used in the Roman history to refer to the two significant triumvirates that made a huge impact on the history.
Probably, the most known and popular Roman ruler is Julius Caesar. A great deal of his popularity might also be due to Shakespeare’s portrayal of him in his plays. Nevertheless, Julius Caesar was one of the individuals in the first triumvirate. The other two were Gnaeus Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus. Among the three of them, they had military force, political influence and financial support to make the alliance work, which started in 60 B.C.
After the death of all the three men in various circumstances, another triumvirate came into being several years later. This consisted of Octavian, Marc Antony and Marcus Lepidus. Although the members of this group were not as popular to this generation as those of the first, they too held power for some time. But just like the first group, this triumvirate also fell apart after a while. History has been proving again and again that when ambitious men form an alliance to come to power, they would often destroy the unity by their own avarice. They would stay united until they reach a powerful position. But once they have power, they would want it all for themselves and try to destroy the other members in the group.
Although the two triumvirates did impact the Roman republic in a significant way, they were not the main cause of its downfall. The maximum influence that they had ever had in causing anyone’s fall was on their own triumvirates.