Battle of Carrhae
53 BCE · Turkey/Syria
The Battle of Carrhae was fought in 53 BCE in Turkey/Syria between Roman Republic vs the Parthian Empire; decisive Parthian victory; Crassus was killed.
Battle of Carrhae: quick facts
- Date
- 53 BCE
- Location
- Turkey/Syria
- Belligerents
- Roman Republic vs the Parthian Empire
- Commanders
- Marcus Licinius Crassus vs Surena
- Result
- decisive Parthian victory; Crassus was killed.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Carrhae?
Marcus Licinius Crassus, the richest man in Rome and member of the First Triumvirate, led seven legions into the Mesopotamian desert where they were annihilated by Parthian horse archers and cataphracts under Surena. The Parthian archers used the famous 'Parthian shot,' firing arrows while retreating, to devastate the trapped Romans. Crassus was killed, and according to legend, the Parthians poured molten gold down his throat to mock his legendary greed.
Did you know?
According to legend, the Parthians poured molten gold down Crassus's throat after Carrhae to mock his legendary greed. His head was then used as a prop in a performance of Euripides's play 'The Bacchae.'
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Carrhae on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.