Deadly Moments in History - Avenging Crassus

In 54 BC Crassus launched Rome's first campaign against the Parthians only to face disastrous defeat at the battle of Carrhae. This humiliation required Roman vengeance. The campaigns that followed would become the opening salvos of the Roman-Parthian wars!

Documentary Credits:
Research: Invicta and Eric TenWolde
Script: Invicta and Eric TenWold
Editing: Invicta
Music: Total War Soundtrack

Primary Sources
“The Roman History” by Cassius Dio
“Roman Lives: Pompey” by Plutarch
“Roman Lives: Crassus” by Plutarch
“Roman Lives: Mark Antony” by Plutarch
"Roman Lives: Sulla" by Plutarch
"The Jewish Wars" by Josephus
"Stratagems" by Frontinus

Secondary Sources
“Rome’s Wars in Parthia” by Rose Mary Sheldon
“Elite 155: Roman Battle Tactics 109 BC – AD 313” by Ross Cowan
“Warrior 182: Roman Legionary 109-58 BC” by Ross Cowan
“Command 23: Pompey” by Nic Fields
“Campaign 199: Philippi 42 BC” by Si Sheppard
“Campaign 211: Actium 31 BC” by Si Sheppard
“The Complete Roman Army” by Adrian Goldsworthy
“Augustus: From Revolutionary To Emperor” by Adrian Goldsworthy
“Pax Romana: War, Peace, and Conquest in the Roman World” by Adrian Goldsworthy
"Men At Arms 175: Parthians & Sassanid Persians" by Peter Wilcox

[theusher]

"Avenging Crassus" sounds like it should be the title of the most badass movie about Rome ever made.

[RomanMilitaryHistory]

It was a great honour to be a part of this with the research and writing :) So nice to see it all come together like this!

[hailalexander]

It was said that the true disaster at Carrhae wasn't even the death of Marcus Crassus, but of his beloved son Publius. He was a very well liked and talented young man who served in Gaul under Caesar with flying colors, Marcus personally asked Caesar to release his son to go with him on this campaign. The people were devasted when the charismatic young noble was killed. And many historians contemporary to modern have pondered what part Publius may have played in the upcoming civil wars.

[Luke-kqgh]

I guess you could say he needed a Crassus Belli.

[MenachemPritzker]

Your map includes Lake Assad in Syria, which is a man made lake created in 1974. Otherwise, great video

[evershumor]

How iconic, where the richest man of Rome fails a slave succeeds.

[Cheesfizzer]

Parthian logic

*Uses horse archers to kill enemy from afar

*Calls Romans cowards when they take the high ground

[InvictaHistory]

Usually when you hear about Rome and Parthia the story begins and ends with Crassus at Carrhae. I am very excited that in this episode we have been able to cover the dramatic and deadly events which followed. I have to thank Eric TenWolde for all his help in the research and script writing! As always, if you enjoyed this content please consider tossing a dollar or two to the Patreon as every little bit helps fund these documentaries. You can check out more from our artist for this episode here: JLazarusEB.deviantart.com

[akiramoon]

If Labienus rings a bell to you, it’s because he is Quintus Labienus son of Titus Labienus (Caesar’s lieutenant in Gaul), when Caesar won the civil war Labienus was killed in the Battle of Munda, an evenly matched conflict between the armies of Caesar and the sons of Pompey. Later his son Quintus Labienus made an alliance with Parthia and invaded the Roman provinces in the eastern Mediterranean which were under the control of Mark Antony.

[johnvonshepard]

Caesar Parthia war would be so cool!

damn you Brutus!

[neutronalchemist]

"It's over Pharnapates! I have the high ground!"

[darthsidious]

It is also worth noting that Carrhae wasn't only lost by Crassus, but it also won by Surena, quite decisively.

[weakestlink]

Lol 11:00 “the parthians saw this as extreme cowardice”

As they use hit and run horse archery.


Edit: Y’all need to chill out it’s a joke.

[Mahbu]

People like to parade Carrhae and Teutoburg forest around. They like to point to Cannae. But people forget that Rome either avenged these battles or ultimately won. With Teutoburg forest and the Germans, it was a terrible loss but Rome went back in and drove Arminius to his downfall. Germanicus earned his name by twice defeating Arminius. Cannae? We all know where this ends. At Zama and the eventual destruction of Carthage.

People like to point to the Roman Empire for different lessons. Its "decadence" and corruption and how it ultimately failed. People forget that Rome lasted quite a while, especially if we include the Roman Kingdom, the Republic, the Empire, and the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire which outlasted and even for a time reconquered the Western Roman Empire. Rome proved resilient, flexible, and able to rebound from many of its worst setbacks.

[Fordo]

Man, Publius Vintidius Bassus is a guy I did not know about till this video and am really sad he's not more well known. What a life story.

[worsethanjoerogan]

They should have waited for Caesar to wreck the Parthians before offing him

[RexGalilae]

Antony, though rash as he was, was no doubt a great military general. Without his famous maneuver against cassius at Phillipi, Octavian looked like he had almost lost the battle under Brutus's overwhelming pressure.
The fact that he managed to beat the Partians back at every turn as he brought most of his army back intact over such a long distance away from friendly territory speaks volumes about his talents. His only downfall was Cleopatra tbh

[pavv]

"let's put every man needed to run the country on horses and repeatedly charge them at Roman heavy infantry"

sure"

[lewistaylor]

you wonder how big the empire could have been had Caesar lived, I mean I fail to see how Parthia deals with 16 legions led commanded by Caesar and maybe we would have further accounts written by Caesar, who knows what else we would learn.

[someguythatlookslikeme]

Fantastic Episode!
You are factually accurate while your vocal style is easy to listen to. Such an excellent channel!!