Gaius Plinius Secundus, Hn  7.26.95-97  (ca. A.D. 65): Verum ad decus imperii Romani, non solum ad viri unius pertinet, victoriarum Pompei Magni titulos omnes triumphosque hoc in loco noncupari, aequato non modo Alexandri Magni rerum fulgore, sed etiam Herculis prope ac Liberi patris. Igitur Sicilia recuperata, under primum Sullanus in reip. causa exoriens auspicatus est, Africa vero tota subacta et in dicionem redacta, Magnique nomine in spolium inde capto, Eques Romanus, id quod antea nemo, curru triumphali revectus et statim ad solis occasum trangressus, excitatis in Pyrenaeo tropaeis, oppida DCCCLXXVI ab Alpibus ad finis Hispaniae ulterioris in dicionem redacta victoriae suae adscripsit et maiore animo Setorium tacuit, belloque civili quod omnia externa conceibat extincto iterum triumphales currus Eques Romam induxit, totiens imperator ante quam miles. Postea ad tota maria et deinde solis ortus missus infinitos retulit patriae titulos more sacris certaminibus vincentium—neque enim ipsi coronantur, sed patrias suas coronant; hos ergo honores urbi tribuit in delubro Minervae quod ex manubiis dicabat: Cn. Pompeius Magnus imperator bello XXX annorum confecto fusis fugatis occisis in deditionem acceptis hominum centiens viciens semel LXXXIII depressis aut captis navibus DCCCXLVI oppidis castellis MDXXXVIII in fidem receptis terris a Maeotis ad Rubrum mare subactis votum merito Minervae. Hos est breviarum eius ab oriente. But it concerns the glory of the Roman Empire, and not that of one man, to mention in this place all the records of the victories of Pompeius Magnus and his triumphs, which equalled the brilliance of the exploits not only of Alexander the Great but even almost Herakles and Father Liber. Well then, after the recovery of Sicily, which inaugerated his emergence as a champion of the commonwealth in the party of Sulla, and after the conquest of the whole of Africa, and its reduction under our sway, and the acquirement as a trophy therefrom of the title Magnus, he rode back in a triumphal chariot though only of equestrian rank, a thing which had never occured before; and immediately afterwards he crossed over to the West, and after erecting trophies in the Pyrenees he added to the record of his victorious career the reduction under our sway of 876 towns from the Alps to the frontiers of Further Spain and with greater magnanamity refrained from mentioning Sertorious, and after the crushing the civil war which threatened to stir up all our foreign relations, a second time led into Rome a procession of triumphal chariots as a Knight, having twice been commander-in-chief before having ever served in the ranks. Subsequently he was despatched to the whole of the seas and then to the far east, and he brought back titles without limit for his country, after the manner of those who conquer in the sacred contests—for these are not crowned with wreaths themselves but crown their native land; consequently he bestowed these honours on the city in the shrine of Minerva that he was dedicating out of the proceeds of the spoils of war: Gnaeus Pompieus Magnus, Commander in Chief, having completed a thirty years' war, routed, scattered, slain, or received the surrender of 12,183,000 people, sunk or taken 846 ships, received the capitulation of 1,538 towns and forts, subdued the lands from the Maeotians to the Red Sea, duly dedicates his offering vowed to Minvera. This is his summary of his exploits in the east. (U. K. Vestal, trans.)