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Conflicts between Rome and the Parthians began in 53 BCE when Roman legions, led by Commander Marcus Crassus, entered Mesopotamia.
Background of events
The armed conflict between Rome and the Parthians began in 53 BCE, with Parthian-controlled Mesopotamia the Roman legions, led by the general of Marcus Crassus, entered. In Iran, there had been a war between King Elymaida, Orodes, and his brother, King of Media, Atropatene Mithridates, for the throne of the King of Kings since about 58 BCE.
Crassus hoped he would get involved in the dispute or take advantage of the brothers’ involvement in the struggle among themselves and seize the rich Mesopotamia, and perhaps even permanently depend a powerful and vast Party state on itself and Rome.
Crassus made alliances with the disobedient Parthian vassals: King of Armenia Artavazdes II and King Osroene Abgar II. 36,000 Romans (35,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry) fought a battle near Carrhae City of over 10,000 Party riders led by prince Eran of the Suren clan, one of the party’s most distinguished families. The Arsacid dynasty was of Scythian origin and brought Scythian patterns to Iran. The mounted archers, using their speed, showered the Roman infantry with a barrage of arrows, not letting them get close. Roman troops disintegrated, with only 10,000 legionaries escaping death or captivity. The captured prisoners and the legionary banners Parthians returned to Rome only after 33 years.
The son of Crassus was killed in the battle, Crassus himself was killed after the battle during negotiations with the Parthians at the hands of a minor commander, the proconsul’s head was taken to the court of Orodes, where it was used as a prop in the staging of Euripides’ Bacchae.
Parthian invasions of Syria
Two years after this victory, the Parthians struck the lands of the Roman Empire. Orodes dispatched troops led by his son, Co-Governor of Pakorus. Crassus’ Quaestor, Gaius Cassius Longinus (Caesar’s future killer) gathered what was left of his superior’s army and repelled the young king’s attack. He had to Pacorus resign from further actions, because his father, not even trusting his own son, called him to Ctesiphon.
In 46 BCE, Pakorus returned to Syria and joined the fights between Caesar’s parties and Pompey’s followers. The late season discouraged him, however, and he turned back. They were more successful in 40 BCE. In Palestine, there was a succession conflict between the representatives of the Maccabean dynasty: John Hirecan II and Antigonus. Pokorus invaded Palestine, placed Antigonus on the throne in Jerusalem and handed over Hirkana to the satrap of Upper Mesopotamia. Meanwhile, Titus Labienus, the Roman commander and supporter of Caesar’s assassins, whom Cassius had sent to Orodes for help during the war with Marcus Antony, at the head of another army took Syria and almost all of Asia Minor. Parthians seemed to be fulfilling their dream of restoring Iranian power in the former western provinces of the Achaemenid Empire. However, the disagreements between Pakorus and Labienus made it easier for the Romans to act. Mark Antony sent his legate, Ventidius, to Syria to defeat Pacorus’s forces at Amanus in 39 BCE and Gindarus near Antioch in 38 BCE, taking advantage of the tactical errors of the Parthian command. Meanwhile, Labienus was driven out of Anatolia. In the same year, Pakorus was killed and the Parthians withdrew from Roman lands.
Expedition of Marcus Antony
Marcus Antony tried to make his dreams come to true Julius Caesar and Cleopatra and conquer the Parthian lands, but despite the gathering of 100,000 soldiers, his expedition ended in failure.
Phraates IV: King of Armenia Artawazdes II and King of Media Atropatene Artawazdes I. The defeat at Fraaspa and supply problems forced him to withdraw. The defeat did not prevent Antony from declaring in Alexandria in 34 BCE King of Kings Caesarion (son of Caesar and Cleopatra), Alexander Helios king of Armenia, and carving out the children of Cleopatra and his kingdom in Party territory and Roman. In 33 BCE the