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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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The Persian light cavalry harassed and tired out the Roman army which, beside these attacks, suffered badly through lack of water. After a short time Crassus was betrayed by the Arabian prince Aghbar, which led to a huge defeat and heavy losses for the Roman side. This resulted in its turn in the suicide of Cassius (Gajus Cassius Longinus) took over the command of the army and with great difficulty retreated to Syria.

The Roman historians, among others Plutarchos, blamed the Armenian king for the catastrophe since Artavazd recalled his 6 000 horsemen to Armenia. But in reality Artavazd desparately needed his riders, since Armenia was as good as emptied of soldiers although it was already engaged in war against the Persians.

We only have to look at the fact that the Persian king, Orodes, himself led the army against Armenia , while against Crassus' army he had sent only a part of the Persian army under the command of one of his commanders, to see how the Persian forces were distributed and what front they were concentrating on.

After the fiasco of Crassus and the retreat of the remaining Roman army back to Syria, it was impossible for Armenia to single-handedly fight the Persian army and Artavazd IIIwas forced to sign a peace treaty with the Persians. According to that treaty Persia was given the southern part of Armenia and the country allied itself with the Persians. This alliance was strengthened by the marriage between the king's sister and one of the sons of the Persian king.

There is no doubt that Artavazd was forced into this alliance unwillingly, since he had in effect allied himself with the greatest enemy of Armenia and of his father. But after the defeat of the Roman army, he, virtually had no other choice..

During the following years Rome was hit by internal differences because of the feud between Caesar and Pompey distracted by internal differences and was not able to react to this loss. It was only Cassis, the successor of Crassus, who would hold Antiochia, like a distanced and isolated island, against the mighty army of the Persians.

During the war between Caesar and Pompey, Armenia showed its loyalty towards Pompey, who once had defeated Armenia but had treated the king and his domain with respect. Therefore, despite its difficult situation, Armenia took Pompey's side and sent an Armenian army, under the command of general Magabatés, to Greece where they hurried to Epire in order to join Pompey. After the defeat of Pompey (48 B.C.) this Armenian army returned without even having made it to the battle at Pharsale.

Caesar's Plan

Shortly after that Caesar became the undisputed ruler of Rome and he began to prepare his revenge for Crassus' defeat. We now know that he was on his way to prepare his army to punish the Persians when he was murdered in the Roman senate.

The plans which Caesar had been preparing were the ones that Mark Anthony staged later on, and were the same that Artavazd had suggested to Crassus, i.e. that the Roman army come to Armenia and from there attack the Persians in the heart of their country. In this way the Romans could avoid Mesopotamia, which with its geography was the ideal battle ground for Persian military manoeuvres. Moreover, the conquest of Mesopotamia would not significantly affect the Persian Empire.