Robert Hettinga <hettinga@gmail.com> writes:
As an example of what Peter might have been alluding to, Pompey and Julius were rich Roman guys who got richer in the conquering trade, Pompey going east after pirates and then eastern kings, and Julius going after, well, Gaul, actually. And then, you know, Rome, after that.
I was thinking more the end of the empire, when practically everything was for sale, incuding the throne itself (Didius Julianus bought it from the Praetorians). You had to be careful though, Galba was put in power by the Praetorians, wouldn't pay them for lack of money (there was a formal name and process for this, the donativum), and was removed again by them not long afterwards. Perhaps a bit like a president failing to favour their biggest campaign contributors and losing the next election. Peter.