La bataille de Carrhes (53 av. J.-C.) : de la défaite au désastre patriotique

Abstract

The battle of Carrhae is one of the most famous defeats in Roman history. However, this defeat did not really weaken Romans in the East, and the place of Carrhae in the collective memory contrasts with the real results of the fight. So, why did Romans consider this battle a disaster for their honor? Actually, we have to distinguish the battle and its place in Roman tradition. In order to avenge the defeat, Augustus would have « created » the disaster of Carrhae, giving to it a meaning it didn’t have before. At that time, Parthians suddendly appear in Roman memory as formidable enemies. Under and after Augustus, Romans considered the battle of Carrhae an exemplary event but didn’t always know how and what to learn from their defeat.

Keywords

• Carrhae
• Parthians
• Marcus Licinius Crassus
• Gindaros
• clades Crassiana
• 38 a.C.