The Battle of Carrhae did not go well for Marcus Crassus. Having determined that the Parthians were weak and divided, Crassus sensed a golden opportunity to run up the score for Rome. A victory, he believed, would fill the Roman coffers; tarnish the reputation of his bitter rival Pompey; and, to the potential benefit of his son Publius, cement his position as a great historical figure. It all looked so easy.
As it happened, the Romans were crushed. Having selected quite the wrong tactics, mistaken the nature of his victories hitherto, and relied much too heavily on his sense of superiority, Crassus walked straight into a wall. His army was swiftly wiped out; the Romans lost territory — and face; and, to add insult to injury, he was brutally killed at the peace conference.
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