Wars & Conflicts Codexery

Roman–Persian wars

Seven centuries of inconclusive Roman–Persian conflict.

Last updated

Roman–Persian wars

Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-pt.svg : Renato de carvalho ferreira ( talk · con · CC0

The Roman–Persian wars were a series of conflicts between the Greco-Roman world and the Iranian world from 54 BC to 628 AD.[1] Both sides used vassal kingdoms and allied nomadic tribes as buffer states or proxies.[1] The border remained largely stable despite constant raiding, as neither side could sustain lengthy campaigns far from its frontiers.[2]

Map of Persian Military-pt
Map of Persian Military-pt. Image: Michael Josef ( talk · contribs ) · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Life and work

They broke away from the Seleucids in the 2nd century BC and conquered Persia, Mesopotamia, and Armenia.[3] Pompey conquered the remaining Seleucid territories in Syria in 64 BC, advancing the Roman frontier to the Euphrates.[4] The Roman general Crassus invaded Mesopotamia in 53 BC but was killed at the Battle of Carrhae, the worst Roman defeat since Arausio.[5] Trajan invaded Armenia and Mesopotamia in 114–115 AD, capturing Ctesiphon, but uprisings forced his withdrawal.[6]

Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-es
Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-es. Image: Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-pt.svg : Renato de carvalho ferreira ( talk · con · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

After the Parthian rule was overthrown, Ardashir I founded the Sasanian Empire and raided Mesopotamia and Syria in 230 AD.[7] Shapur I defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Edessa and captured Emperor Valerian between 258 and 260 AD.[8]

Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-pt
Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-pt. Image: Renato de carvalho ferreira · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the cited sources add

The "Byzantine–Iranian Relations" account notes that Diocletian adopted magnificent Persian court ceremonial.[9] According to that same source, by the second half of the 6th century the armies of both empires were quite similar and evenly matched.[9] The "Byzantine–Iranian Relations" account states that the Romans organized heavy-mailed cavalry along Persian lines, the clibanarii.[9] Cassius Dio records that Ventidius was the first Roman to celebrate a triumph over the Parthians.[10]

Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-zh
Roman-Persian Frontier, 565 AD-zh. Image: Vikarna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Plutarch writes that Sulla was the first Roman with whom the Parthians held conference for alliance and friendship.[11]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Curtis, "The Age of the Parthians – Google Knihy", I. B.Tauris, March 24, 2010 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Byzantine–Iranian Relations" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kia 2016; De Blois van der Spek 2008; Ball (2000), 12–13; Dignas–Winter (2007), 9 (PDF) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ball (2000), 12–13; Dignas–Winter (2007), 9 (PDF) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Plutarch, Crassus, 23–32<br />* Mackay (2004), 150 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sicker (2000), 167 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Herodian, Roman History, VI, 2.1–6 ; Cassius Dio, Roman History, LXXX, 4.1–2<br />* Dodgeon–Greatrex–Lieu (2002), I, 16 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Roman–Persian wars" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Frye (1993), 125; Southern (2001), 235–236 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. "Byzantine–Iranian Relations". facts only, no text reused. iranicaonline.org
  10. Cassius Dio, Roman History, XLIX, 27–33<br />* Bivar (1993), 58–65. facts only, no text reused. penelope.uchicago.edu
  11. Plutarch, Sulla, 5. 3–6<br />* Mackay (2004), 149; Sherwin-White (1994), 262. facts only, no text reused. penelope.uchicago.edu

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Roman–Persian wars (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Named in this entry

Iranian plateauGaius Cassius LonginusRoman RepublicParthian EmpireAnatoliaSeleucid EmpireAntiochus III the GreatWestern world

More in Wars & Conflicts

Napoleonic WarsNigerian Civil WarNorthern CrusadesOttoman wars in EuropePacific WarParaguayan WarPeloponnesian WarPunic WarsRusso-Japanese WarRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878)Second Boer WarSecond Congo War

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

Spotted an error? Know more?

Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced

Comments

Loading…
Open in the interactive codex →