382 CARRHAE 53 BC: Rome's Disaster in the Desert

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The Battle of Carrhae offers a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats at the hands of the Parthians. Examines the crucial psychological and political factors (including Crassus' lust for military glory and popular acclaim) that played a key role in this brutal battle.

Parthian general Surena's horsemen completely outmaneuvered Crassus' legionaries, killing or capturing most of the Roman soldiers not far from a trade-route town on the fringes of the arid wastes of northern Mesopotamia. Explores the tactics and techniques of the Parthian horse archers, details of Roman and Parthian equipment and weaponry, and discusses the last stand of Publius Crassus, son of Marcus Licinius.