The Battle of Carrhae

• Fought in 53 BC between the Roman Republic and the Parthian Empire near the town of Carrhae
• The Parthian general Surena decisively defeated the much larger Roman force under the command of Marcus Licinius Crassus
• The Romans were fooled by the Parthian pretended flight tactics
• This stopped the Roman invasion of Parthian Mesopotamia
• Crassus was envious of his  partner, Pompey and Julius Caesars military reputation so he started a campaign to conquer territories and invaded the Parthians
• The Parthian Arsacid dynasty had created a powerful Asian empire that stretched from eastern Turkey to Iran, and at the Battle of Carrhae, the Parthian mounted archers proved superior to the heavy infantry of the Roman legions
• They went so far as to humiliate Crassus in which he was ultimately beheaded
• His remaining soldiers were beaten and paraded around Carrhae
• There are reports of molten gold being poured down the mouth of the severed head
• The Romans were fooled by the Parthian pretended flight tactic

Parthian shot

• Famous military tactic. While on horseback & reverse mounted highly skilled archers shoot their enemy at full speed retreat
• This proved very devastating choosing to chase a retreating enemy that can utilize this tactic