Editing First Triumvirate (section)

==== Crassus ====
Crassus was one of the richest men in Rome, having made his fortune by profiting from the [[Sulla]]n [[proscription]]s.{{sfn|Badian|2012a}} He was a patron for Rome's [[Equites|equestrian]] [[Publican|businessmen]]. With Pompey, he had served as consul in 70&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Broughton|1952|p=126}} Those [[publicani|public contractor]]s had massively over-bid on tax contracts for the province of [[Asia (Roman province)|Asia]] (parts of modern western [[Turkey]]) because they failed to account for the devastation of the [[Third Mithridatic War]].{{sfn|Drogula|2019|p=114}} His clients demanded a reduction in the taxes they were contractually obliged to deliver to the treasury, a goal also stymied by Cato and Celer in December 61&nbsp;BC.{{sfnm|Drogula|2019|1p=115|Russell|2015}} While senators such as Cicero personally believed "it was ridiculous for [the tax farmers] to seek to have their contracts renegotiated or cancelled simply because they had overestimated their potential profits", the senate had been on the verge of approving the legislation before Celer's intervention.{{sfn|Drogula|2019|p=115}} Crassus, a personal enemy of Pompey, also opposed Pompey's settlements and land bills in 60&nbsp;BC, successfully mobilising his support among the lower-ranked senators to defeat Pompey's proposals.{{sfn|Gruen|1995|p=86–87}} His opposition to Pompey may have been in attempt to win over the senators blocking his own goals, but this was evidently unsuccessful.{{sfn|Drogula|2019|p=114}} Passing renegotiation of these tax contracts was vital for Crassus: "his reputation and influence depended on his ability to act as a champion for the powerful equestrian order".{{sfn|Drogula|2019|p=117}}