Carrhae
‘Carrhae’ is the fourth and final instalment in the Parthian Chronicles, the adventures of King Pacorus of Dura, and follows on from ‘Parthian Vengeance’. The journey that took Pacorus from Parthia to Italy to fight by the side of Spartacus and then back to Parthia again reaches its conclusion with him again meeting Marcus Licinius Crassus.
The great Parthian Civil War is over, leaving behind an empire exhausted by years of bloodshed. After the murderous Battle of Susa Pacorus has returned to Dura with a heavy heart, hoping that Parthia can at last look forward to peace and a united empire under King of Kings Orodes. But no sooner have hostilities ended than Armenia, the client state of Rome, declares war on the empire and its king, Tigranes, unleashes his army against Parthia. In reply Pacorus must march north to defend Hatra, the city of his birth, against the Armenians. But before he can do so he is forced to deal with another enemy army threatening Dura’s western frontier as the Romans seek to seize the caravan city of Palmyra.
Even Dura’s mighty army cannot stave off a series of defeats as the enemies of Parthia circle the empire like hungry wolves. And Pacorus knows that Marcus Licinius Crassus is also marching east to extend Rome’s rule from the Euphrates to the Indus and enslave the whole of Parthia.
The scene is set for a final showdown on the battlefield of Carrhae, a clash that will decide the destinies of two empires and two men.
