Crassus Part 2/2

To start with he proceeded along the Euphrates, towards Seleucia, but he allowed himself to be persuaded by an Arab called Ariamnes or Abgarus, who was secretly working for the Parthians, to cut across country to attack the Parthians under Surena. (Surena was one of the most powerful men in Parthia: his family had the hereditary right to crown the kings, and he himself had helped restore the reigning Parthian king, Hyrodes or Orodes, to his throne.) Meanwhile, Hyrodes had invaded Armenia and was fighting Artabazes.

Ariamnes led Crassus into the desert, where Crassus received pleas from Artabazes for him to come and help fight off the Parthians there, or at least keep to mountainous areas where the Parthian cavalry would be useless. Crassus took no notice but continued to follow Ariamnes.

After Ariamnes had left, giving the excuse that he was going to join the Parthians and spy on them for the Romans, some of Crassus' scouts returned saying that they had been attacked and the enemy were on their way. Crassus continued his march, with himself commanding the centre and one wing commanded by his son, Publius, and the other by Cassius. They came to a stream, and although Crassus was advised to let the men rest and make camp for the night, he was persuaded by his son to continue at a rapid pace.

On the march the Romans had been drawn up in a hollow square formation with each cohort allotted cavalry as protection. When they met the enemy they were soon surrounded and the Parthians started shooting them with their arrows, which smashed the Roman armour and pierced lesser coverings.

On his father's orders, Publius Crassus attacked the Parthians with a detachment of 1300 cavalry (1000 of whom were the Gauls he had brought with him from Caesar), 500 archers, and eight cohorts of infantry. When the Parthians withdrew, the younger Crassus followed them for a long way, but then the detachment was surrounded and subjected to the devastating archery attacks of the Parthians. Realising there was no escape for his men, Publius Crassus and some of the other leading Romans with him committed suicide rather than fight on hopelessly. Of the forces with him, only 500 survived. The Parthians cut off Publius' head and took it back with them to taunt his father.

It was not the Parthian custom to fight at night, but at first the Romans

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