Crassus captured at Carrhae?

[Epictetus]

I am currently reading Hans Willer Laale’s Ephesus: An Abbreviated History. I’ll have a review when I’m finished, but at the moment I’m curious about something he says.

Crassus soon after led a powerful Roman force across the Euphrates into Mesopotamia in preparation for a conquest against the Parthian Empire. Having advanced with his son Publius Licinius Crassus (86/82-53) against Surena’s Parthian forces, his army was totally destroyed at the Battle of Carrhae (53). His son Publius committed suicide, and Crassus was captured and finally decapitated after enduring years of humiliation.

I’ve never heard that Crassus was captured and remained in captivity for years. I’m wondering if Laale confused Crassus and Valerian somehow hock: . Another possibility is that he got this information from some ancient source or rumour that either I’ve forgotten or never heard of.

Can anyone throw any light upon this?

[Epictetus]

After doing some digging I found this:

Upon a former war in Persia, the senate appointed Crassus their general and plenipotentiary, whose ill conduct brought a lasting disgrace on the Roman name, he being made prisoner and dying among the Parthians.

Zosimus III.

And this:

The consul Crassus was captured with his son at Carrhae.

St. Jerome, Chronicle, 181.2

I wonder if one of these were his sources.

[starman2012]

Crassus was captured and finally decapitated after enduring years of humiliation....I’m wondering if Laale confused Crassus and Valerian somehow

Actually may more accurately describe the fate of Crassus than Valerian.

[D B Campbell]

I’ve never heard that Crassus was captured and remained in captivity for years.

The "for years" bit is certainly wrong, David. Livy's periochae records that Crassus was "seized and, in a struggle to avoid being taken alive, was killed" (106.5: conprehensusque et, nequid vivus pateretur repugnans, interfectus est). It seems that his captivity lasted moments!

[Nathan Ross]

It seems that his captivity lasted moments!

Yes, the account in Plutarch seems fullest, and gives the impression of being based on eyewitness testimonies (now lost to us, of course). Seems Crassus was killed in a highly undignified scuffle while attempting to 'negotiate' terms of surrender with the Parthians. His head was later flung about at a theatrical performance.

So I would agree that the writer here has confused Crassus with Valerian.

Interestingly, though, Plutarch also mentions that Surena pretended to have taken Crassus alive by parading a Roman prisoner, Caius Paccianus, who "put on a woman's royal robe... under instructions to answer to the name of Crassus and the title of Imperator when so addressed." No info is given on what happened to this Paccianus - perhaps he went on pretending to be Crassus for years? hock:

[Alexandr K]

Hi,

There are several reports about Crassus' death in our sources. According to most sources Crassus was killed in a struggle during a parley with the Parthians (Plut. Crassus 31; Cass. Dio XL. 27; Polyaen. VII. 41; Florus I. 46; Festus 17).

But there are some sources, which claim, that Crassus was captured alive and then killed by the Parthians (Strabo XVI. 23; Servilius Verg. Aen. VII. 606; Zos. III. 32). None of them, however, provides any information about the length of the captivity.

I think, that most of the sources claiming that Crassus was captured alive simply refer to the very short seizure of Crassus during the parley (see Duncan's citation of Livy below).

The only source, which indicates a longer lasting captivity is Servilius. According to him Crassus was captured and then killed by pouring of melted gold into his mouth. However, Servilius seems to be confusing two events here. Some other sources inform us, that after Crassus' death the Parthians poured melted gold into his mouth in a mockery of his greediness. So Servilius probably mistakenly joined these two events (1. Crassus death and 2. pouring of melted gold into his mouth) into one. Moreover the whole scene with the melted gold is probably made up (for a detailed discussion of this scene see Weggen, K.: Der lange Schatten von Carrhae. Studien zu M. Licinius Crassus, Hamburg, 2011, p. 82-94).

So, I agree that Laale probably confused the fate of Crassus with that of Valerian.

Greetings,
Alexandr