Part Seven
THE ROMAN - PARTHIAN WARS
THE ROMAN - PARTHIAN WARS
After the war was over, the Romans did not keep their word and resisted the Parthians when they tried to occupy their promised portion of territory. Pompey also insulted the Parthian monarch, Phraates 3, by refusing to address him by the customary Parthian title “King of Kings”. Note that this Parthian king (Phraates) had a name that included the Hebrew root word for Phares, the dynastic line of David and the kings of Judah. The Parthians now understood that the Romans did not keep their word. About this time in 62 BC the Euphrates River became the boundary between Rome and Parthia.
It should also be noted that Parthians believed in binding their word with a handshake. This, along with their word, was considered a sacred bond of commitment among Parthians. Being true to one’s word was critically important in Parthian society. To Parthians, Romans where not men of their word.
1. The first Roman-Parthian war resulted from Roman aggression. Crassus, who was a co-ruler with Julius Caesar and Pompey, sought wealth and fame by attempting to subjugate Parthia. Crassus was envious of Julius Caesar’s war record and wanted to be honored like Caesar. Crassus was the Roman general who had defeated Spartacus, the gladiator-slave who had led a revolt against Rome. Flush with victory, Crassus marched east to take on Parthia. We think of Rome as “civilized” but they are often the “barbarians” throughout history. In fact, most of the wars between Rome and Parthia were started by the Romans.
On his way to Parthia, Crassus stole all the gold and silver he could find. He even looted the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The Jewish High Priest offered Crassus a 750 pound beam of gold in return for Crassus agreeing not to sack the rest of the Temple’s treasures. Crassus agreed, but in typical Roman fashion broke his word and stole everything. Divine justice would follow this event as Crassus was about to suffer one of Rome’s greatest military defeats. Parthia, the Asian empire of the ten tribes of Israel, the birthright tribes of the same God whose Temple Crassus had sacked, would now administer justice to him.
The Parthians taunted Crassus and lured him into a trap. Crassus was led to believe the Parthians were fearful and retreating. The Parthians had both a light cavalry and a heavy cavalry. The light cavalry were armed with bows and arrows and could lay down a continuous barrage of arrows while riding in shifts. The heavy cavalry horses were protected with mail coats and their riders used long spears.
The invading Romans met the Parthian defenders at the battle of Carrhae in 53 BC near the modern border of Syria and Turkey. The over confident Romans were soundly defeated. Crassus was killed and his head and right hand of his corpse were cut off. Cutting of Crassus’ right had signified that Rome could not be trusted to keep their word.
2. Parthia retaliated for Rome’s invasion by crossing the Euphrates into Rome’s eastern provinces. This invasion was short lived and in 50 BC Parthia withdrew to their side of the Euphrates.
3. In 40 BC the Parthians attacked Rome in full power. The Parthians conquered Syria, Judea, and Asia Minor. Emboldened by Parthian success the Jews rebelled from Rome and a Jewish prince, Antigonus, ruled Palestine as a Parthian Satrap until 37 BC.
This marked the greatest size of the Parthian Empire. Their rule extended from the Indus River (Pakistan) to the shores of the Aegean Sea (western Turkey). They had earned the respect of the Roman Empire, but now would experience the Romans determination to win back what they had lost.
The Romans counterattacked and won back their lost territories and reestablished the Euphrates River as the border between the two empires. The short Parthian rule of Judea and other conquered territories was mild and just, and many of the natives preferred Parthian rule to that of the Romans. The ten tribes of Israel had actually ruled in their ancient homeland for three years! (40 - 37 BC)
During those three years of Parthian rule in Judea, there would have been a great exchange of information between the Jews and the Parthians. The Jews would have become aware that the Parthians were descendants of the ten tribes of Israel and were their brothers. Josephus, the Jewish historian, would have drew on this knowledge when he later wrote that the Parthian Empire, the land “beyond the Euphrates”, was the region inhabited by the numerous descendants of the ten tribes of Israel. (Josephus, Antiquities, Xl, V, 2)
4. The next war took place while Parthia was experiencing internal civil war. The Romans invaded Parthia led by Marc Anthony, famous consort of Cleopatra of Egypt. Anthony invaded in 37 BC with a large army of more than 113,000 men. Parthia beat back this army wiping out their supply columns and killing 10,000 Romans. With winter setting on Anthony had to admit defeat and retreated back to Rome. While retreating Anthony acted cruelly toward the Armenians through whose territory he traveled. This created a lasting impression on the Armenians who would later prefer Parthian rule to that of Rome.
5. A peaceful period of détente then occurred between Parthia and Rome from 36 BC to 58 AD. Both empires had learned that they were equal superpowers with the Euphrates River serving as the mutually accepted border between them. This time period was also during the time of Jesus’ life and ministry.
6. In 1 AD when another Roman invasion appeared imminent the two empires held a “summit conference” at the Euphrates and avoided another war.
7. In 62 AD the two empires became embroiled in a conflict over Armenia. Nero sent a large Roman army to fight the Parthians and was soundly beaten when the Parthians launched a winter offensive against them. The Armenians were grateful to be under Parthian rule and fought with the Parthians.
8. In 114 AD Rome again broke treaties with Parthia and war resulted. Filled with arrogance and pride, Roman Emperor Trajan set out to conquer Asia like a new Alexander the Great. Trajan experienced many divine acts of God including an earthquake in which he almost lost his life, extensive heat, swarms of flies, and violent hail and thunderstorms. Perhaps God was intervening for his “people” the ten tribes of Israel. The Romans retreated as Parthian territories rebelled and harassed them all the way.
9. Another summit in 122 AD avoided another war.
10. Various skirmishes along the Euphrates take place. One Roman invasion did serious damage to towns and cities but was repelled by a terrible plaque that killed thousands of Roman soldiers. This plague was so terrible even the Romans knew it was supernatural. This plague was so severe it had a permanent effect on the composition of both the Roman Empire and future Roman armies. It spread through Italy and killed so many people that future Roman armies would be composed of mercenaries from Rome’s subject countries. There is no mention of the plague affecting Parthia. Was this a divine judgment against Rome? I believe so.
11. Around 194-200 AD a war was fought after Mesopotamian natives massacred Roman garrisons, aided by Parthian vassal kings. The Romans withdrew after burning Parthian cities and killing many. Parthia’s response was weak due to internal problems. God did not intervene this time. Was that because Parthian society, made up of many descendants of the ten tribes, was in a state of moral decline?
12. The final war began in 215 AD. This was a Roman war of deceit. The Emperor Caracallus pretended he was a peacemaker, and offered to marry the daughter of a Parthian monarch. He even proposed a political and economic union.
Even after seeing the Romans break many previous treaties the Parthians fell for this! Caracallus marched his army to Parthia’s western capitol for the wedding ceremony as the Parthians celebrated the upcoming “eternal peace.” Once in the capital the Roman’s began the slaughter. The Parthian king barely escaped. The Romans then desecrated the Parthian royal cemetery at Arbela. The Romans were unknowingly desecrating the graves of the progeny of King David of ancient Israel, the progenitor of the dynastic line of Phares which ruled Parthia.
Outraged beyond words and determined for revenge the Parthians assembled a vast military force. Based on historical accounts of the time it may have been the largest army ever assembled against Rome. This was going to be a titanic struggle--world war!
The Romans assassinated Caracallus, and the new Roman emperor, Macrinus tried to appease the Parthians by returning Parthian captives. The Parthians would have no part of this as they were determined to exact revenge on Rome and spill as much Roman blood as possible.
The battle took place in 217 AD at Nisibis near the border of today’s Syria and Turkey. The fighting went on for three days. The Parthian archers took their toll on the Romans. As the Romans retreated they littered the ground with spiked balls to injure the feet of the Parthian horses. The Roman historian Herodian, reported that: “…the heaps of dead were piled to such a height that the movement of the troops were impeded by them, and the last two hosts could hardly see each other.” The Parthians won a decisive victory. They also received tribute money from Rome afterwards.
The victory at Nisibis was the Parthian Empire’s greatest and last victory. The end of the empire was at hand. The Parthian emperor Artabanus lV, sought out occult advice and was told the empire was about to end. This mirrors King Saul of Israel who sought occult guidance which led to his defeat and death. 1 Samuel 28:7-25) When a country and it’s leaders seek occult mediums for guidance it is a sure sign of moral decay and disintegration. This not only forfeits God’s favor, but invites His divine punishment. Soon after the séance, the Parthian empire collapsed.
In 220 AD the Persian provinces revolted and after a series of three battles they won their independence and killed Artabanus. The Sassanian Persian Empire replaced Parthia. The Parthian’s now were forced to migrate out of their old empire and flee from the Persians, further scattering the ten tribes of Israel.
Tomorrow: Pt 8 Magi Pay Homage to Jesus
Source: Israel’s Lost Empires by Steven M. Collins - www.bibleblessings.net
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