Battle of Ecbatana 129 BC

[Domen]

Is anything more specific known about this battle apart from the fact that Parthian forces under Phraates II defeated Seleucid forces under Antochus VII? Army sizes and compositions, course of this battle, etc.?

What about other major pitched and siege Seleucid-Parthian battles? - it seems that there is scarcity of sources about those combats and they are also not well-described in modern secondary sources.

How was victory achieved by Parthians at Ecbatana? Was it similar in its fashion to later Carrhae? And what about victorious wars of Mithradates I against Demetrios II - were there any major battles during them?

[Michael Kerr]

Justinus: Epitome of Pompeius Trogus'“Philippic Histories" (38.10) mentions that Antiochus VII had an army of 80,000 troops (no idea of makeup of army but probably mainly infantry) but he mentions 300,000 camp followers including cooks, bakers & stage players (sceptical about this figure but army must have had considerable baggage train). He scored several victories regaining Mesopotamia & capturing Seleucia & Susa. Then he advanced into Media & set up winter quarters distributing his army (including the camp followers) among several cities in the expectation of finishing off the Parthians the next year. However his harsh rule & the depredations of his army caused the locals to conspire with the Parthians & on an appointed day fell upon Antiochus' widely dispersed army. Antiochus gathered what troops he had & tried to stabilise situation but was surprised by a large Parthian force at Ecabatana where his men deserted & Antiochus was killed. His body was sent back to Syria in a silver casket, his son Seleucus was made prisoner & his neice was taken by Phraates into his harem. Phraates II did not enjoy this victory for long because prior to the battle he recruited Saka horsemen from the east to help fight Antiochus in the west, but they arrived too late to take part in battle but still demanded a share of the considerable Seleucid booty. Phraates was unwilling to compensate them so they went on a rampage. So instead of finishing off the Seleucids in Syria he turned east even recruiting captured Seleucid heavy infantry from the Ecbatana battle, met the Saka in vicinity of modern Turkestan where his Seleucid recruits seeing the battle going badly, deserted & massacred Phraates & his bodyguard (according to Colledge). Parthians never used Seleucid
heavy infantry again thinking them unreliable & who could blame them. “Shadows in the Desert" by Dr Kaveh Farrokh has some interesting information about Parthians in general. “The Parthians" by Malcolm A.R. Colledge is a good book as well.
Regards
Michael Kerr