Emulating Alexander : How Alexander the Great's Legacy Fuelled Rome's Wars With Persia

This book gives an account of the Roman relationship with Persia and how it was shaped by the actions of Alexander the Great long before the events. Numerous Roman emperors led armies eastward against the Persians, seeking to emulate or exceed the glorious conquests of Alexander. Some achieved successes but more often the result was ignominious defeat or death. Even as the empire declined, court propagandists and courtiers looked for flattering ways to compare their now-throne-bound emperors with Alexander. All the while there was a small segment of the Roman intelligentsia who disparaged Alexander and his misdeeds. While the Romans dreamed of conquering the Persian realm, the Persians of the Parthian and Sasanian dynasties dreamed of regaining the lands of the eastern Mediterranean snatched from their Achaemenid ancestors by Alexander. Echoes of this revanchist policy can be seen in Iran's support of Shiites in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. Glenn Barnett draws comparisons between the era-long struggle of Rome and Persia with the current wars in the Middle-East where they once fought. HISTORY / Military / Ancient Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 9 Preface 10 Introduction 11 Chapter 1 Rome and Parthia 16 Rome 16 Parthia 21 Chapter 2 First Impressions 25 Sulla: To the East 30 Pompey: The New Alexander 30 Summary 44 Chapter 3 Parthia Triumphant: Crassus and Antony 39 Crassus: In the footsteps of Alexander 39 Julius Caesar: Persian Dreams 44 Mark Antony: Persian nightmares 49 Summary 57 Chapter 4 The Empire Strikes Back 58 Augustus Caesar: The Diplomat 58 Tiberius: The Hated Enemy 66 Nero: The Great Compromise 72 The Flavians: Roman Revenge 74 Trajan: In Alexander’s Footsteps 75 Summary 81 Chapter 5 Marcus Aurelius: Unintended Consequences 82 Verus: Victory and Death 84 Commodus: The Comforts of Home 88 Summary 89 Chapter 6 The Severans: Father and Son Invade Iraq 90 Septimius Severus: Parthia laid low 90 Caracalla: The Last Battle with Parthia 93 Summary 98 Chapter 7 The Sasanians 100 Worthy Successors 100 Chapter 8 Shapur I, King of Kings 112 Chapter 9 Diocletian: Roman Revival 128 Chapter 10 Shapur II: The Great One 136 Chapter 11 Julian: The Soul of Alexander 146 The Last Offensive 151 Chapter 12 The Sasanian wars with Byzantium: The waning of Alexander 157 Chapter 13 Heraclius and Khusro II: Greek Tragedy 174 Conclusion 179 Notes 182 Bibliography 213 Index 226 Machine Generated Contents Note: Ch. 1 Rome And Parthia -- Rome -- Parthia -- Ch. 2 First Impressions -- Sulla: To The East -- Pompey: The New Alexander -- Summary -- Ch. 3 Parthia Triumphant: Crassus And Antony -- Crassus: In The Footsteps Of Alexander -- Julius Caesar: Persian Dreams -- Mark Antony: Persian Nightmares -- Summary -- Ch. 4 The Empire Strikes Back -- Augustus Caesar: The Diplomat -- Tiberius: The Hated Enemy -- Nero: The Great Compromise -- The Flavians: Roman Revenge -- Trajan: In Alexander's Footsteps -- Summary -- Ch. 5 Marcus Aurelius: Unintended Consequences -- Verus: Victory And Death -- Commodus: The Comforts Of Home -- Summary -- Ch. 6 The Severans: Father And Son Invade Iraq -- Septimius Severus: Parthia Laid Low -- Caracalla: The Last Battle With Parthia -- Summary -- Ch. 7 The Sasanians -- Worthy Successors -- Ch. 8 Shapur I, King Of Kings -- Ch. 9 Diocletian: Roman Revival -- Ch. 10 Shapur Ii: The Great One -- Ch. 11 Julian: The Soul Of Alexander -- The Last Offensive -- Ch. 12 The Sasanian Wars With Byzantium: The Waning Of Alexander -- Ch. 13 Heraclius And Khusro Ii: Greek Tragedy. By Glenn Barnett. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 167-210) And Index. An interesting new insight into the centuries-long struggle between the Roman and Persian Empires.