Carrhae 53 BC

Rome's Disaster in the Desert

Carrhae 53 BC cover

Description

Explores the critical battle of Carrhae, a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats.

The Battle of Carrhae is from a heady moment in Roman history – that of the clever carve-up of power between the 'First Triumvirate' of Caius Iulius Caesar, Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus (the Roman general who had famously put down the Spartacan revolt). It is a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats at the hands of the Parthians, not far from a trade-route town hunkered down on the fringes of the arid wastes of northern Mesopotamia, sending shock waves through the Roman power structure.

In this work, classical historian Dr Nic Fields draws out the crucial psychological and political factors (including Crassus' lust for military glory and popular acclaim) that played a key role in this brutal battle. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Parthian general Surena's horsemen completely outmanoeuvered Crassus' legionaries, killing or capturing most of the Roman soldiers. The detailed battlescene artworks reveal the tactics and techniques of the Parthian horse archers, and Roman and Parthian equipment and weaponry, and the approach to battle is clearly explained in 2d maps and 3D bird's-eye views.

Table of Contents


ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Surena
OPPOSING FORCES
Crassus' army
Surena's army
THE BACKGROUND TO WAR
Departing Rome
The setting
THE BATTLE OF CARRHAE
Into Parthia
The day of battle
The Roman retreat
The death of Crassus
The reasons why
AFTERMATH
Cicero in Cilicia
Bloodshed at home
Roman renegade
Marcus Antonius' adventure
Augustus the avenger
ABBREVIATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

Product details

Published Aug 16 2022
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781472849045
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations Colour illustrations throughout, including battlescene artworks, maps, 3D diagrams and photographs.
Dimensions 10 x 7 inches
Series Campaign
Short code CAM 382
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Nic Fields

Dr Nic Fields started his career as a biochemist b…

Illustrator

Seán Ó’Brógáin

Seán Ó’Brógáin lives and works in Donegal, I…

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