Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

22 2 A chronological survey
that broke out during the reign of Ardaˇsīr’s son and successor ˇ Sāpūr I
(240–72). 12
In the spring of 243 the Roman emperor Gordian III (238–44) set off
with his army from the Syrian metropolis Antioch on the Orontes, crossed
the Euphrates and won back the cities of Carrhae and Nisibis, which had
been occupied by the Sasanians. 13 Under the command of the Prefect of
the Guard Timesitheus the Romans defeated the Persians at Rhesaina and
then advanced into the Sasanian province of Āsūrestān.14 They probably
intended to get as far as the Sasanian capital Ktēsiphōn 15 but at the beginning
of the year 244 ˇ Sāpūr I scored a decisive victory against the Roman
army at Miˇsīk. Gordian III died in battle (5). His successor Philip the Arab
(244–9) 16 concluded a peace with ˇ Sāpūr and withdrew. Although Rome
had to pay large sums of money and lost influence in Armenia the Roman
emperor boasted about the peace (16).
The peace of 244 lasted for only a few years. ˇ Sāpūr claimed that Rome
was to be blamed for new confrontations because it had done wrong by
Armenia. 17 When the Arsacid king of Armenia had become the victim of
Persian intrigues his son Tiridates, who was not yet of age, went over to
Rome (26). ˇ Sāpūr saw the regulations of the foedus of 244 violated and
used the opportunity to take over Armenia. 18 In 252 he eliminated the
Arsacid royal house and turned Armenia into a Sasanian province under
the command of his son Hormizd. 19 This development brought significant
strategic advantages for the Sasanians, and this not only with regard to the
looming conflicts with Rome but also with regard to their military and
economic interests in the Caucasus region.
From 252 on ˇ Sāpūr was once more at war with Rome. 20 He boasted
of a spectacular victory at Barbalissos over a Roman army of 60,000
men. 21 Afterwards the Persians invaded the Roman province of Syria. They
captured Hierapolis, Antioch on the Orontes and further Syrian cities and
12 Schippmann 1990: 19. 13 On Gordian’s Persian expedition see Kettenhofen 1983: 151–71.
14 Amm. xxiii.5.17. 15 SHA Gord. 27.6.
16 On this emperor and his rule see de Blois 1978–9: 11–43 and Körner 2002.
17 SKZ ˇ § 9 (p. 294 ed. Back).
18 For the possible causes of the Sasanian expedition against Armenia and the course of events see
Chaumont 1976: 169–76 and below (26) with further references.
19 For an examination of Sāpūr’s ˇ intervention in Armenia see Schottky 1994: 223–35, esp. 231–2; see
again 26 below.
20 It is difficult to establish a chronology of the various Sasanian expeditions between 253 and 256; see
Kettenhofen 1982: 50–96; Schippmann 1990: 21–3; Potter 1990: 189–96 and 290–7; Strobel 1993:
220–56.
21 SKZ ˇ § 9 (p. 295 ed. Back).