[1967 R50/2]

Ditto what Janus said-

The statement "Over the preceding centuries, the Constitution of ancient Rome had developed an intricate series of checks and balances intended to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual" overreaches in the extreme.

First off, Rome had NO WRITTEN CONSTITUTION. Which was part of the problem, laws were constantly in flux.

Secondly, you can hardly point to the pirates as the beginning of the downfall of the Roman republic. Long before Pompey, Gaius Marius became the first of the over-mighty generals, being elected Consul 7 times. He was followed not to long after by his one time protege and collaborator, Sulla, who purged Rome and of course ultimately by Crassus, Caesar and Pompey.

Finally, let's give credit where it is due. Pompey DID ERADICATE THE PIRATES...from one end of the Mediterranean to the other..at least for a few decades. No small task. Therefore requiring no small budget. He also did it without spying on fellow Romans, to the best of my knowledge.

Ironically, many years later, after Pompey's death, Pompey's own son, Sextus, became a pirate himself.