War, and
that instantly, seemed to offer the only chance for maintaining the Roman
name or existence in Asia, Carrhae and Nisibis, the two potent fortresses
in Mesopotamia, had fallen; and the Persian arms were now triumphant on
both banks of the Euphrates. Valerian was not of a character to look with
indifference upon such a scene, terminated by such a prospect; prudence
and temerity, fear and confidence, all spoke a common language in this
great emergency; and Valerian marched towards the Euphrates with a fixed
purpose of driving the enemy beyond that river. By whose mismanagement the
records of history do not enable us to say, some think of Macrianus, the
praetorian prefect, some of Valerian himself, but doubtless by the
treachery of guides co-operating with errors in the general, the Roman
army was entangled in marshy grounds; partial actions followed, and
skirmishes of cavalry, in which the Romans became direfully aware of their
situation; retreat was cut off, to advance was impossible; and to fight
was now found to be without hope. In these circumstances they offered to
capitulate.
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