In 67 BC, as a
tribune of the plebs, Gabinius brought forward the
law (
Lex Gabinia), which gave Pompey the command in the war against
Mediterranean pirates, with extensive powers that gave him absolute control over the sea and the coasts for 50 miles inland. Through Gabinius' two other measures, loans of money to foreign ambassadors in Rome were made actionable (as a check on the corruption of the Senate), and the
Senate was ordered to give audiences to foreign envoys on certain fixed days (February 1–March 1) each year. From 66–62 BC, during the final phases of the
Third Mithridatic War, Gabinius
served Pompey as a legate. In 65 BC Pompey gave him command of a part of his army and sent him into Northern
Mesopotamia to pressure the
Parthian king,
Phraates III, into a treaty with Pompey. From Northern Mesopotamia, Gabinius marched into Syria to help rid the region of pirates and brigands.
Aristobulus, brother of the high priest and king of
Judea,
Hyrcanus II, bribed him to support his [Aristobulus] claim to the Judean throne. When Pompey arrived in
Antioch, in Syria, Aristobulus sent an official deputation, fearing the fortune he had spent to persuade Pompey's legates might be wasted; he accused Gabinius and
Scaurus of accepting bribes. It is unknown if Pompey did anything with these accusations. In 61 BC, as
praetor, tried to win public favour by providing games on a scale of unusual splendour. In 59 BC, Gabinius ran for one of the
consulships for 58 and managed to get himself elected, although not without the suspicion of
bribery. He was elected consul alongside
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, Caesar's father-in-law. During his term of office he aided
Publius Clodius Pulcher in bringing about the exile of
Marcus Tullius Cicero. Gabinius also managed to secure
Syria as his
proconsular province. In 57 BC Gabinius started his term as governor of Syria. Shortly after his arrival he marched his army south into
Judaea, defeated the army of
Alexander,
Hyrcanus II's nephew, in a battle near
Jerusalem, and reinstated Hyrcanus II as high-priest of Jerusalem, He suppressed revolts, introduced important changes in the government of Judaea and rebuilt several towns. He also supported
Mithridates IV in his struggle against his brother
Orodes but abandoned Mithridates when the more lucrative offer of restoring
Ptolemy XII Auletes to the Egyptian throne reached him. In 55 BC
Pompey convinced Gabinius to march to
Egypt to restore Ptolemy XII to his throne. Gabinius did so without the consent of the Senate. He succeeded after a short successful campaign, in which he was supported by the young cavalry officer
Mark Antony. He left some of his troops, the so-called
Gabiniani, in Egypt to protect Ptolemy XII. These Gabiniani fought against rebellious subjects of the king and later, after the king's death, against Gaius
Julius Caesar. During Gabinius's time in Egypt,
Syria had been devastated by robbers, and Alexander, son of
Aristobulus, had again taken up arms with the object of depriving
Hyrcanus II of the high-priesthood. Gabinius marched into Judea and defeated Alexander near
Mount Tabor killing 10,000 of Alexander's men. With some difficulty Gabinius restored order in Syria, and in 54 BC handed over the province to his successor,
Marcus Licinius Crassus. The
Roman equites (knights), who as
tax collectors had suffered heavy losses during the disturbances in Syria, were greatly embittered against Gabinius, and, when he appeared in the Senate to give an account of his governorship, he was brought to trial on three counts, all involving a capital offence. On the charge of
maiestas (
high treason) incurred by having left his province for Egypt without the consent of the Senate and in defiance of the
Sibylline Books, Gabinius was acquitted. It was said that the judges were bribed, and even Cicero, an enemy of Gabinius, was persuaded by Pompey to say as little as he could. On the second charge, that of
repetundae (extortion during the administration of his province), with special reference to the 10,000
talents paid by Ptolemy XII for his restoration, he was found guilty, in spite of evidence offered on his behalf by Pompey and witnesses from
Alexandria and the eloquence of Cicero, who had been induced to plead his cause. Nothing but Cicero's wish to do a favour to Pompey could have induced him to take on the task. Commentators hint that the half-heartedness of Cicero's defence contributed to Gabinius's condemnation. The third charge, that of
ambitus (illegalities committed during his canvassing for the consulship), was consequently dropped. Gabinius went into exile and his property was confiscated. After the outbreak of
Civil War in 49 BC, Gabinius was recalled by
Gaius Julius Caesar and entered his service, but took no active part against his old patron, Pompey. After the
Battle of Pharsalus, he was commissioned to transport some recently levied troops to
Illyricum. On his way overland, he was attacked by the
Dalmatians and with difficulty made his way to
Salona. There Gabinius defended himself against the attacks of the Pompeian commander, Marcus Octavius, but a few months later died of illness (48 BC or the beginning of 47 BC). ==Marriage and children==