Mark Antony 43-33 BC
Description
In 53 BC, Rome's governor of Syria, Marcus Licinius Crassus, led an expedition across the Euphrates River into Parthian territory to confront the Parthian Shah Orodes II. Artavasdes II offered Crassus the aid of nearly forty thousand troops to assist his Parthian expedition on the condition that Crassus invade through Armenia as the safer route. Crassus refused, choosing instead the more direct route by crossing the Euphrates directly into desert Parthian territory. Crassus' actions proved disastrous as his army was defeated at the Battle of Carrhae by a numerically inferior Parthian force. Crassus' defeat forced Armenia to shift its loyalty to Parthia, with Artavasdes II's sister marrying Orodes' son and heir Pacorus.
In early 44 BC, Julius Caesar announced his intentions to invade Parthia and restore Roman power in the East. His reasons were to punish the Parthians for assisting Pompey in the recent civil war, to avenge Crassus' defeat at Carrhae, and especially to match the glory of Alexander the Great for himself. Before Caesar could launch his campaign, however, he was assassinated.
As ruler of the East, Antony assumed responsibility for overseeing Caesar's planned invasion of Parthia. Artavasdes II was made Antony’s counsellor and master of decisions respecting the war, due to being the greatest of the allied kings. At some point in the war, Artavasdes, despairing of the Roman cause, took his own forces and went off, by robbing Antony of the power to bring that war to an end. Accordingly, all the army, in their anger, tried to incite Antony to take vengeance on Artavasdes, but Antony did not reproach him with his treachery nor abated the friendliness and respect usually shown to him, being now weak in numbers and in want of supplies.
In 34 BC, in order to take Vengeance, Antony sent Quintus Dellius to Artavasdes, to ask the hand of his daughter, in order to marry her to his son Alexander. Antony stated that he wished to have his aid against the Parthians. When Artavasdes suspected the plot, he did not come to Antony. Meanwhile, Antony marched with undiminished haste towards Artaxata. This way Antony, persuaded Artavasdes to come into his camp, where Artavasdes was arrested and at first was kempt without any fetters. Later, he was led around various forts where the king’s treasures were stored, in the hope that the treasures could have been confiscated without any struggle, as the Armenians were told that this was for the king’s sake. However, the keepers of the gold paid no attention to the king, and the Armenian citizens chose Artaxias, the eldest of Artavasdes, as their king instead.
At that point Antony bound Artavasdes into silver chains and went to Alexandria, taking along the king’s family, to be presented to Cleopatra, except for Artaxias, who fled to the Parthian king. The royals did not supplicate nor give her any respect, though this led to much torture on their account. This gave them reputation of high spirit. In 31 BC, after the battle of Actium, Cleopatra beheaded Artavasdes.
In early 44 BC, Julius Caesar announced his intentions to invade Parthia and restore Roman power in the East. His reasons were to punish the Parthians for assisting Pompey in the recent civil war, to avenge Crassus' defeat at Carrhae, and especially to match the glory of Alexander the Great for himself. Before Caesar could launch his campaign, however, he was assassinated.
As ruler of the East, Antony assumed responsibility for overseeing Caesar's planned invasion of Parthia. Artavasdes II was made Antony’s counsellor and master of decisions respecting the war, due to being the greatest of the allied kings. At some point in the war, Artavasdes, despairing of the Roman cause, took his own forces and went off, by robbing Antony of the power to bring that war to an end. Accordingly, all the army, in their anger, tried to incite Antony to take vengeance on Artavasdes, but Antony did not reproach him with his treachery nor abated the friendliness and respect usually shown to him, being now weak in numbers and in want of supplies.
In 34 BC, in order to take Vengeance, Antony sent Quintus Dellius to Artavasdes, to ask the hand of his daughter, in order to marry her to his son Alexander. Antony stated that he wished to have his aid against the Parthians. When Artavasdes suspected the plot, he did not come to Antony. Meanwhile, Antony marched with undiminished haste towards Artaxata. This way Antony, persuaded Artavasdes to come into his camp, where Artavasdes was arrested and at first was kempt without any fetters. Later, he was led around various forts where the king’s treasures were stored, in the hope that the treasures could have been confiscated without any struggle, as the Armenians were told that this was for the king’s sake. However, the keepers of the gold paid no attention to the king, and the Armenian citizens chose Artaxias, the eldest of Artavasdes, as their king instead.
At that point Antony bound Artavasdes into silver chains and went to Alexandria, taking along the king’s family, to be presented to Cleopatra, except for Artaxias, who fled to the Parthian king. The royals did not supplicate nor give her any respect, though this led to much torture on their account. This gave them reputation of high spirit. In 31 BC, after the battle of Actium, Cleopatra beheaded Artavasdes.
