Shapur I’s second campaign against Rome (253–256? A. D.)

Abstract

The article examines the preconditions, main events, and consequences of the second Roman campaign of the Persian shahanshah Shapur I (242–272). The invasion of Roman provinces was provoked by the Romans themselves, who in the early 250s intervened in the Persian-Armenian conflict on the side of Armenia. This action, in turn, was a gross violation of the Roman-Persian treaty concluded in 244. The Roman demarche turned out to be a serious mistake since Rome was not ready for retaliatory actions from Iran due to the crisis within the Empire itself. The hostilities began in 253 and continued probably until 256. Practically meeting no resistance, the Persian troops captured about 40 cities of the Roman East, located mainly in Syria, including Antioch. The only case when the Romans managed to organize an effective defense was the events near Emesa, where the local militia successfully repelled the attack of the Persian troops. The most prolonged and bitter fighting took place near Dura-Europos, which at least twice passed from hand to hand and in 256 was finally captured by the Persians. It is not entirely clear the place and role in the events under consideration of another large fortress on the Roman-Persian border – Nisibis, which, according to some sources, was attacked by the Persians during the same campaign, and according to others, somewhat later. The successes achieved by the Sasanids during the second Roman campaign of Shapur I were a blow not only to the economy and military power of Rome but also to her international standing. Persia, on the contrary, for the first time declared itself as a world power capable of fighting on equal terms with the Roman Empire for hegemony in the Middle East.