roman war roman war fought control armenia vital state realms armenia roman client state days emperor succeeded installing candidate armenian throne events coincided accession imperial throne rome young emperor decided react vigorously war major foreign campaign reign began rapid success roman forces led able general overcame forces loyal installed candidate armenian throne left country romans aided fact king embroiled suppression series revolts country soon dealt turned attention armenia couple years inconclusive campaigning inflicted heavy defeat romans conflict ended soon effective stalemate formal compromise prince line henceforth sit armenian throne nomination approved roman emperor conflict direct confrontation romans disastrous expedition campaigns century earlier long series wars rome iranian powers armenia roman persian wars background expanding come contact century friction great powers control states lying largest important succeeded establishing roman country king armenia roman influence secured series roman sponsored kings supported candidate assumed throne roman supported king recovered throne support emperor deposed nephew rule quickly unpopular gave newly crowned king opportunity intervene forces quickly seized capitals armenia younger brother throne onset bitter winter outbreak epidemic forced forces withdraw allowing retake control country behavior subjects worse rose rebellion fled father court established armenia year rome emperor died succeeded area regarded lying roman sphere influence worried roman leadership widely seen major test new emperor ability reacted vigorously appointing general distinguished served governor asia supreme command east diplomatic maneuvers preparations given control provinces modern day central turkey later authority considered good recruiting ground units bulk army came syria half garrison units transferred command initially romans hoped resolve situation diplomatic means governor syria sent proposing hostages customary negotiations ensure good faith preoccupied revolt son forced withdrew troops armenia readily complied period inactivity ensued armenian issue remained restore troops discipline combat readiness diminished peaceful garrisons east according discharged old ill health kept entire army canvas harsh winters plateau armenia enforced strict discipline death time took care constantly present men sharing hardships meantime backed brother refused rome engaged operations deemed loyal rome tension mounted finally early spring war broke outbreak war roman offensive placed large number line forts near armenian frontier orders newly arrived auxiliary cavalry stage raid appeared unprepared event raid failed retreating troops spread panic garrisons forts start campaign severely punished survivors commanders having army years despite ready disposal iii syria added large number allied contingents eastern client kings like situation furthermore favorable romans faced revolt region incursions unable support brother war far featured roman armenian border tried protect pro roman armenian settlements attack simultaneously supporters given avoided confrontation pitched battle divided force attack places simultaneously instructed allies raid armenia territories addition alliance concluded tribe living northwestern armenia reacted sending envoys ask attack hostages given reiterated demand seek recognition crown eventually sides agreed meeting announced bring men meeting implying bring number men peaceful fashion helmets suggests intended romans cavalry superior equal number roman infantry case rate force decided larger force men plus appeared agreed site seeing romans battle array turn intentions come closer withdrew night resorted tactic worked century earlier sent forces raid roman army supply route stretched mountains black_sea failed romans taken care secure mountain routes series forts fall resolved directly attack fortified strongholds instrumental controlling surrounding country sources revenue soldiers addition threat force risk pitched battle words historian king defend communities loyal lost prestige subordinates successfully stormed forts including possibly modern strongest province according day minimal casualties garrisons terrified display roman towns villages surrendered romans prepared northern armenian capital forced confront romans army approached roman force reinforced marched hollow square supported auxiliary horsemen foot roman soldiers strict orders break formation despite repeated attacks horse held nightfall night withdrew army abandoning capital inhabitants promptly surrendered allowed leave city romans spare sufficient men fall romans marched south armenia second capital city way men punished hid shown surrendered harsh dry terrain northern army suffered lack provisions especially water reached fertile areas near time plot murder uncovered suppressed armenian nobles joined roman camp implicated executed according story provided roman army arrived launched severed head conspirators city chance landed right city council assembled immediately decided surrender city consequently spared shortly attempt army king enter armenia blocked commander romans control armenia promptly installed new king descendant royal house outlying western parts armenia ceded roman left auxiliary cavalry men support new monarch retired rest army syria governorship assumed reward success counterattack romans aware victory fragile soon king dealt rebellion turn attention armenia despite reluctance risk conflict rome end forced act raided province enraged protests governor pleas protection ignored prestige royal authority stake hastily concluded treaty free campaign rome called assembly realm publicly reaffirmed position king armenia order brother armenian throne king assembled force picked cavalry complemented infantry response sent armenia detailed command iii line river fearing invade syria time petitioned appoint separate responsibility conducting war armenia siege entered armenia approached taken care gather supplies city fortified garrisoned romans alike siege largely undertaken contingent unwilling engage assault failed driven loss successful roman point sent envoy court near roman border failed siege shortage fodder cavalry forced agree withdraw armenia time romans left armenia according raised suspicions motives reached agreement mutual withdrawal unwilling risk reputation hostilities rate truce arranged embassy dispatched rome negotiations failed reach agreement war resumed spring meantime asked arrived person consul previous year army divided newly arrived going retained glory relations roman commanders strained beginning notable kept spent past years campaigning gave colleague expected conduct main campaign inexperienced units total roman force considerable totaled men exact number disposition auxiliary units unclear seven cavalry seven infantry syria comprising force troops nonetheless appeared confident victory followed declaration war capture invasion armenia remained syria strengthening fortifications frontier advanced minor forts taken lack supplies forced withdraw westwards winter originally intended invade syria convincing display military building strong flotilla ships equipped bridge allowed establish shore abandoned plans syria turned attention armenia dispersed forces granted extended leaves officers taken advance learning initially advanced meet reconnaissance detachment defeated panicked withdrew hastily sent wife son safety fortress tried block advance occupying passes mountains detachments army dispersed forces defeated detail roman morale panic set army besieged series hastily erected camps near appears fallen desperate inactivity sent urgent messages come rescue meantime aware danger faced colleague forces readiness march join accused delaying order glory rescuing calls assistance arrived responded quickly marched forth half syrian army carrying provisions laden soon met dispersed men army managed rally force arrive rescue aware relief nearing increasingly harassed romans forced send letter seek terms subsequent treaty romans leave armenia surrender forts held agreed build bridge nearby river pass triumph sitting atop elephant addition roman army plundered took romans weapons clothes facing resistance worse according rumors reported romans pass gesture ultimate humiliation roman eyes roman forces met banks near amidst scenes mutual grief lamented achievements tried convince attempt reverse situation invading armenia refused claiming authority way army worn able campaign effectively end retired syria received envoys demanded evacuate turn demanded evacuation armenia agreed sides withdrew forces leaving armenia facto control delegation travel rome return peace settlement rome appears largely unaware real situation armenia records trophies war arches erected center hill decree senate war decided roman leadership shattered arrival delegation rome spring demands subsequent interrogation accompanied revealed senate true extent disaster concealed dispatches words romans decided accept dangerous war peace recalled placed charge campaign armenia extraordinary placed governors client rulers east post governor syria entrusted forces withdrawing defeated syria leaving guard leading veteran invasion army assembled added remained previous year defeat newly arrived large numbers contingents client kings army crossed following route opened years received envoys approach large force aware ability general anxious negotiate doubt instructions reiterated old roman position accept crown rome renewed war readily agreed negotiations scene year roman defeat agreed meeting place place intended reminder strength agreed hoped earlier disgrace peace war son served charge party gather remains roman soldiers ensure proper burial agreed day accompanied horsemen met camps agreed travel rome seek confirmation crown sign agreement days later armies display parade gear approached roman camp statue emperor erected raised platform placed royal feet submission aftermath visited rome receive crown received occasion boost popularity ordered gates shut declaring peace reigned celebrated peace major achievement hailed held triumph new territory won peace reflected compromise true victory rome prevail militarily armenia politically genuine alternatives candidacy offer armenian throne armenia henceforth ruled iranian dynasty despite nominal allegiance rome come increasing influence judgment later generations lost armenia peace period relatively peaceful relations years armenia continue constant bone contention romans successors short term peace secured kept sides bulk rome eastern forces involved suppression jewish revolt honoured man brought triumph popularity influence army potential rival involvement son law plot suspect eyes emperor greece ordered executed hearing committed suicide war demonstrated romans defensive system east place longer adequate following years saw major reorganization client kingdoms roman provinces number area increased roman presence client states albania strengthened aim strategically armenia direct roman control extended entire line marking beginning eastern survive muslim conquests 7th century
Roman–Parthian War of 58–63