Senate to send him there to retrieve the situation, and he was appointed proconsul, an act which was technically illegal as Pompey had never previously held public office. However, his career in general was marked by a desire for military glory, and disregard for traditional political constraints. Pompey recruited 30,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry, evidence of the threat posed by Sertorius. En route to Hispania, he subdued a rebellion in Gallia Narbonensis, after which his army entered winter quarters near Narbo Martius. In early 76 BC, he crossed the Col de Portet and entered the Iberian peninsula, where he would remain for the next five years. His arrival boosted the morale of Metellus' troops, while some rebel groups changed sides, but he was then defeated by Sertorius at the Battle of Lauron. This was a serious blow to Pompey's prestige, who spent the rest of the year re-organising his army. In 75 BC, Sertorius personally campaigned against Metellus, while Pompey smashed Perpenna and Herennius outside Valencia. When Sertorius took charge of operations against Pompey, Metellus defeated his deputy Lucius Hirtuleius at the Battle of Italica. After the indecisive Battle of Sucro, Sertorius withdrew inland, then turned to fight at Saguntum, where Pompey lost 6,000 killed, including his brother-in-law Memmius, reputedly his most effective subordinate. Sertorius himself suffered 3,000 casualties, one of whom was Hirtuleius. Although Metellus defeated Perpenna in a separate battle, Sertorius was able to withdraw to Clunia, where he repaired the walls to lure his opponents into a siege, while forming garrisons from other towns into a new field army. Once this was ready, he escaped from Clunia and used it to disrupt Roman logistics on land and by sea. Lack of supplies forced Metellus to quarter his troops in Gaul, while Pompey wintered among the Vaccaei. Reinforced by two more legions, in 73 BC Metellus joined Pompey and made for the river Ebro, while Sertorius and Perpenna advanced from Lusitania. By now, Sertorius was being undermined by internal divisions, allegedly encouraged by Perpenna. Metellus took advantage to re-take many rebel towns, although neither side made much progress until 71 BC when Perpenna murdered and replaced Sertorius. He was then defeated and executed by Pompey, who remained in Hispania to quell the last disorders, showing a talent for organisation and lack of animosity which extended his patronage throughout Hispania and into southern Gaul. First Consulship During Pompey's absence