CLST 201 Lecture : Wk07L02.docx
4 Mar 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Crassus governor of spain, waged war against parthia. Entrusted remote regions of their realm to vassal princes. Mail clad riders (cataphracts) and swift mounted archers. 52 crassus crosses the euphrates, did recon in syria. 53 roman army suffered disasterous defeat at carrhae underestimated strength of partheans and fighting in the desert. 7 roman legions were slaughtered by the archers. Crassus was lured to a conference (?) and slain by a parthian officer. This was kind of a devastating blow to the roman morale regarding the east. Crassus" death upset the balance of the triumvere. Caesar, backed by his loyal army, had the resources to fight back to avoid being eliminated from the political power struggle. Remember caesar"s daughter julia was married to pompey in 59. Caesar requested the right to marry pompey"s daughter. Civil war was inevitable rome was too small for the both of them. Tribunes misused their power of veto, all over the place.
