Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, Pompey the Great, rose to prominence serving the dictator Sulla as a commander in the civil war of 83-82 B.C. Pompey's success as a general at a young age enabled him to advance to his first Roman consulship without following the traditional cursus honorum. He was consul three times. He served as a commander in the Sertorian War, the Third Servile War, the Third Mithridatic War, and in various other military campaigns. For his victories, Pompey was awarded three triumphs and the cognomen Magnus – "the Great." In 60 B.C., Pompey joined Crassus and Caesar in a military-political alliance, the First Triumvirate. Pompey married Caesar's daughter, Julia, which helped secure this partnership. After the deaths of Crassus and Julia, Pompey became an ardent supporter of the Optimates — a conservative faction of the Senate. Pompey and Caesar then contended for leadership of Rome, culminating in civil war. Pompey was defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 B.C. He sought refuge in Ptolemaic Egypt, where he was assassinated.

After the murder of their father, Gnaeus Pompey Magnus Junior and his brother Sextus, together with Metellus Scipio, Cato the Younger and other senators, continued to oppose Caesar. In 46 B.C., Caesar defeated Metellus Scipio and Cato, who subsequently committed suicide, at the Battle of Thapsus. Gnaeus escaped and joined with Sextus and, in Hispania, raised yet another army. On 17 March 45 B.C., the armies met in the battle of Munda. The large armies were led by able generals and the battle was closely fought. A cavalry charge by Caesar turned events to his side. In the panicked escape that followed, Titus Labienus and an estimated 30,000 of the Pompeian men died. Gnaeus and Sextus managed to escape once again, but it was now clear Caesar had won the civil war. Within a few weeks, Gnaeus Pompeius was caught and executed for treason. Sextus Pompey outlived Caesar. See his coins below for the rest of his story.