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The Lex Gabinia (Gabinius's Law) was a law established in ancient Rome in 67 BC.
It was passed by the Tribune Aulus Gabinius in 67 BC. General Pompey was granted Pro-Consul powers in any province within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea with a fleet of 500 battleships, 120,000 infantry and around 5,000 cavalry to fight the growing problems of pirates disrupting trade in the Mediterranean Sea.
Pompey enjoyed huge popularity amongst the plebs of Rome, but the Roman Senate was wary of him and his growing power. The Senate were reluctant to give massive powers to any one man, fearing it would allow another Dictator to seize power as Sulla had done just fifteen years before. The Tribunes though, were able to pass a law conferring huge powers on Pompey to deal with the pirates. The law was proposed by the Tribune Gabinia and therefore was named the Lex Gabinia or Gabinius's Law.
By it, Pompey was granted Pro-Consul powers in any province within fifty miles of the Meditertanean Sea. Because the Roman territories was at the time nothing more than a ring around the Mediterranean, Pompey therefore had power over almost every province in the Empire. This kind of power could easily be exploited and used to install himself as Dictator, and would have a strong military backing to keep him in power. This immmense power, granted to a still relatively young man, was worrying for the Senate and the Patrician's, the upper classes of Rome and the traditional ruling class.
In addition to this immmense political power, Pompey was also given the authorisation to raise a fleet of 500 battleships, 120,000 infantry and around 5,000 cavalry. This force would be under his personnel command and would be used successfully to sweep the waters of the Mediterranean and overrun the small fortified islands being used by the pirates.
Significance of the Lex Gabinia
Though Pompey proved loyal to Rome and did not use his powers to install himself as ruler of the Empire, it was clear that the plebs were coming into immense power while the traditional rulers in the Senate were losing their authority. Though the Senate was theoretically answerable to the plebs, it was unprecedented for the people to pass such laws or grant such power through their representatives in the People's Assembly.
The laws set down by Sulla during his dictatorship had been intended to strengthen the Senate and take power away from the plebs. The passing of the Lex Gabinia, followed on by the Lex Manilia, proved that Sulla's intended new constitution, designed to stop any one man from gaining immmense power, was falling apart. The passing of the Lex Gabinia was a key development in the collapse of the Senate as the ruling power in Rome. The Senate proved unable to halt the under classes of Rome, and power was rapidly coming into the hands of the plebeians and their champion, Gauis Julius Caesar, who would eventually bring about the Civil War and the collapse of the Roman Republic.
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"Lex Gabinia"