an war was intended.[1] Opposition to the war arose at once, but Crassus was urged on by Caesar, who was then in Gaul, and his position was defended by Cicero.[2] Italy was scoured for troops, and in spite of the legitimate cry of an unjust war Crassus left Rome on the ides of November, 55 b.c. The curses of the tribune Ateius, leader of the antiwar party, followed him as he departed for Brundisium, where he set sail for Dyrrachium. Thence he marched overland, arriving in Syria during April or May, 54 b.c., and took over the command and troops of Gabinius. With the Syrian garrisons he now had an army of seven legions. His quaestor was C. Cassius Longinus; his legates were his son Publius Crassus, Varguntius, and Octavius. He might expect Abgarus of Osroene, Alchaudonius, an Arab prince, and Artavasdes, then king of Armenia, as allies, to furnish light cavalry, though their help was always a doubtful quantity; but Abgarus was definitely playing both sides, and Alchaudonius soon openly declared himself pro-Parthian.
- ↑ Plut. Pompey 52; Veil. Pat. ii. 46. 2; Livy Epit. cv; cf. Plut. Crassus 16.
- ↑ Cicero Ep. ad fam., i. 9. 20 and v. 8; Ep. ad Att. iv. 13. 2.
237–62; K. Hartmann, "Ueber das Verhältnis des Cassius Dio zur Parthergeschichte des Flavius Arrianus," Philologus, LXXIV (1917), 73–91; Delbrück, Geschichte der Kriegskunst im Rahmen der politischen Geschichte, I (3d ed.; Berlin, 1920), 475–78; A. Gunther, Beiträge zur Geschichte der Kriege zwischen Römern und Parthern (Berlin, 1922), pp. 14–38; M. Gelzer in PW, art. "Licinius (Crassus)," No. 68; F. Lammert, Die römische Taktik zu Beginn der Kaiserzeit und die Geschichtschreibung (Philologus, Supp., XXIII 2 [Leipzig, 1931]); W. W. Tarn in CAH, IX, pp. 605–12.
