Obscure defeats in the East 244-260

[starman]

The Romans evidently covered up a number of setbacks during this period, such as the defeat at Barbalissos in 252. Has anyone else seen the brief booklet The Catastrophic Era Rome versus Persia in the Third Century? How accurate are the reconstructions of the big battles of this period? Or, how accurate are they likely to be, given what is known about Roman and Persian tactics? Also, is the booklet's views about the fate of Gordian III and Valerian really supported by recent scholarship?

[DecimusCaesar]

I haven't read this book so I can't be sure. Still, I think most historians can agree that the defeats of the traditional imperial legions at the hands of the Persians led to the changes within the military command within the next decades (especially under Diocletain in the 280's). So, I think that the Roman army was already going through tactical changes in this period.

 

We see that the traditional chrage was dropped and the Romans adapted a shield wall formation. They also attempted some psychological taunts by polishing their armour so that it would glisten in the sun. They would also swing their shields around if they attempted to advance, almost as if they were attempting to hypnotize the enemy.

 

The Persians would attempt to brake up the Roman formations by charging their Cataphracts at them. The Romans would tempt them to an attack by seperating the 'centuries', therefore appearing weak to the advancing Persian lines. Between the centuries groups of Lanciarii would charge throwing javelins at the cataphracts. The terrain would also be peppered with caltrops, which were used to damage the horses legs.

[Gaius Octavius]

Were the 'setbacks' permanent?

[caldrail]

Some setbacks were. The emperor Valerian attempted to negotiate with the persians, got captured, and was enslaved for the rest of his life, then stuffed and put on display after he died. In terms of territory, under Shapur I the persians occupied Syria, yet during the same period prior to the Palmyrene Revolt there were instances of roman armies conquering as far as the Euphrates, reaching the shores of the Caspian Sea under Trajan, although these territorial gains (on both sides) were short-lived.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, Amici.

 

Here comes Lucius Caelius Firmianus Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum, Ch. V:

 

"And presently Valerian also, in a mood alike frantic, lifted up his impious hands to assault God, and, although his time was short, shed much righteous blood. But God punished him in a new and extraordinary manner, that it might be a lesson to future ages that the adversaries of Heaven always receive the just recompense of their iniquities. He, having been made prisoner by the Persians, lost not only that power which he had exercised without moderation, but also the liberty of which be had deprived others; and he wasted the remainder of his days in the vilest condition of slavery: for Sapores, the king of the Persians, who had made him prisoner, whenever he chose to get into his carriage or to mount on horseback, commanded the Roman to stoop and present his back; then, setting his foot on the shoulders of Valerian, he said, with a smile of reproach,