Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

2.1 The third century 19
withdraw altogether from Syria and Asia Minor. 6 Between 230 and 232
Ardaˇsīr invaded Roman territory but was stopped in 233 by a counter-attack
of Severus Alexander, who had successfully reorganised Rome’s desolate
Eastern frontier units. The Sasanians withdrew from the areas they had
conquered and the status quo ante bellum was restored. Although this first
military confrontation was not a victory for either Persians or Romans,
the fact that a Persian advance had been prevented was viewed as a major
triumph in the West (4).
Soon the Sasanians invaded again. When in 235 the assassination of
Severus Alexander caused political unrest in the Roman Empire, Ardaˇsīr I
once more turned to the West. In 235 and 236 he apparently gained control
of a number of fortresses in Roman Mesopotamia, among these the important
cities of Nisibis and Carrhae. 7 Ardaˇsīr not only attempted to conquer
Roman frontier areas, but he also advanced into southern Mesopotamia, the
western coastal regions of the Persian Gulf and eastern Arabia. 8 Above all he
must have been interested in trade with India and therefore tried to control
seafaring in the Persian Gulf. It looks as if Ardaˇsīr actually gained control
over the northern part of the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. His
activities along the Persian Gulf, which primarily illustrate economic and
strategic motives, affected Roman economic interests. Immediately after
the fall of the Arsacid dynasty Ardaˇsīr had occupied Spasinu Charax on
the ˇ Satt al-Arab and thereby threatened the trading metropolis and Roman
colony of Palmyra, which was located in the Syrian Desert, and engaged
in trade with Indian luxury goods along the Persian Gulf; in consequence
also Roman interests in trade in the region were threatened. This situation
could not but affect relations between the two powers (23).
Moreover, both powers contended for the well-fortified caravan city of
Hatra, which had turned into one of the most important Arabian centres
during the course of the second century; because of its location in northern
Mesopotamia, the city functioned as a junction for caravan routes and a
stop on the route from Nisibis to Ktēsiphōn (22). Herodian describes Hatra
as an impregnable fortress. 9 The ‘city of the sun-god’ with its many shrines
was also an important destination for pilgrims and derived further wealth
from this.
6 Ibid. vi.2.5–6; vi.4.4–5; Potter 1990: 372–5 suggests that Ardaˇsīr’s goals were more modest, namely to
establish or secure control over the former client kingdoms such as Hatra and Armenia, which had
fallen under Roman rule.
7 Wiesehöfer 1982: 437–47; Kettenhofen 1982: 21–2 and 1995a: 159–77.
8 Widengren 1971: 754–5; Whitehouse and Williamson 1973: 29–49; Frye 1983b: 167–70; Winter 1988:
72–9; Potts 1990: 228–41 and 1997: 89–107.
9 Herodian iii.9.4.