Ok here's what I see.
I see Sulla giving Lucullus Egypt and then dying. Pompey, looking to make his name, uses it as a staging post for his invasion of Asia (conquering Syria etc. as per OTL) thereby forging a political alliance with Lucullus. Meanwhile, Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, angles for control of Egypt. Lucullus, envious of Pompey's gains in Asia and desiring glory for himself, requests the Senate to strip Pompeyof his command. The Senate comply, with egyptian gold oiling the works of the Res Publica. Pompey, furious, enlists Crassus's aid, offering him Egypt. He also enlists the aid of Cicero, who is equally furious at the undermining of an upstanding citizen and the destructio nfo Roman virtues by Oriental decadence. Cicero lambasts Lucullus in the Senate while Crassus bribes Senators and raises armies across the empire to fight for them. One of these is led by Julius Caesar, in Hispania where he carves out a political niche. Pompey meanwhile invades Egyp, rolling back Lucullus adn forcing him back to Alexandria which he besieges. He also supports Ptolemy XII and once he is victorious lets the Pharaoh have use of two of his legions.
Pompey then returns to Rome in triumph where he is voted a Triumph. He announces to the Senate, however, that a state of emergency exists, as the empire (NOT capitalised) is still fragmented. He requests the powers of a Dicator for six months in order to restore order. He is voted these rights through the money of Crassus adn the rhetoric of Cicero. CAesar, meanwhile, has moved back to Italy where he gains the office of pontifix maximus. Pompey, using his powers, purges the army of all hostile influences and in the end discharges almost half the armed forces. He then leads a campaign of subjugation through Armenia smashing Tigranes and extending Roman power into eastern Anatolia. Positioning a constellaton of client-kings in Asia ranging from Ptolemy XII to Herod he sets up his network of clients. Crassus, however, is not best pleased, and demands to be made proconsul of Egypt as Pompey had promised. Pompey, however, makes a complete volte-face. He, Cicero and Caesar reach a seond agreement. They cut Crassus out, and Cicero lampoons Crassus, denouncing him as an effete, hedonistic, lecherous and vile money-lender who has no place in true, Roman society. Public opinion against Crassus is inflamed by the people's tribunes who have been bribed by Caesar so that his house in Rome is burnt in a violent riot. Crassus, fearing for his life, retreats to Campanis where he attempts to raise a scratch legion. He rallies some 3,000 men yet Caesar is on his heels with his first major military command under Pompey. He leads 10,000 veterens which he uses to great effect, smashing Crassus who commits suicide in 64 BC. Caesar, remembering the Samnite Wars fought by Sulla, sees fit to impose martial law in the area to pacify it. He leaves the army there and returns ot Rome bearing the head of Crassus. Despite his suicide and therefore honourable death, Crassus's property is confiscated and divided. One half is sold off to the people. One quarter is handed ot Caesar and another quarter given to Pompey. Cicero accepts none, disgusted by the shameful partition of a dead man's possessions (Cicero may have hated Crassus but he was preoccupied with honour and 'dignitas').
We therefore have a triumverate, with Caesar the rsing star, ready to conquer the world, Cicero afire with his Rpublican rhetoric and Pompey resting for awhile on his laurels, taking stock of his situation and finding himself on top.
I smell a TL in there somewhere; what do we all think?