Battle of Carrhae (53 BC)

Parthian horsemen annihilate Crassus's legions, ending Roman ambitions in the east for decades.

Specifications & Metrics

year

53 BC

Core Principles & Analysis

• Marcus Licinius Crassus, seeking military glory to rival Caesar and Pompey, was killed in the defeat.
• Parthian horse archers and armored cataphracts routed roughly 40,000 Roman troops.
• The lost legionary eagles were recovered by diplomacy only in 20 BC, under Augustus.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Battle of Carrhae