Jan 10

Iranians Reply to Pompey, The Roman General

On 10 January 62 BC, Pompey, the Roman general and a member of the triad governing council, announced that Syria and the surrounding areas will be added to the Roman territory. In those times, Syria was much larger than today and its capital was Antioch and included the southwest of the present day Turkey, part of the present day Jordan and Lebanon. Iran was informed of this decision 40 days later, by a special envoy. This was Iran’s reply: Rome should take its hands off the eastern parts of the Mediterranean. These areas, including Syria and Jerusalem, should be independent or under Iran’s protection.     Accepting this decisive reply of Iran was heavy for the Roman Empire and Pompey refused to go into war with Iran. Crasus, another general and member of the triad governing council, made the necessary preparations for the war and attacked East Mediterranean, 9 years later (53 BC) with a large army. The Iranian army, under command of General Surena, started movingtowards the Roman army and war broke out in Harran area (Karha, on the shores of Euphrates River, border of the present day Syria with Turkey). In this war Rome bore a heavy loss. Crasus and his son were killed and the Romans were thrown into the Mediterranean Sea. This war is known as the greatest victory of the East against the West. War historians have known Iran’s victory in its superiority in weapons, war tactics and the strong nationalistic feelings of Iranians. The Karha defeat was a great humiliation for the Roman Empire. The lesson to be learned from this war is that a      nation that cannot upgrade its defense weapons, relative technology, its national pride and spirit and the preparedness for defending one’s land and its independence, is condemned to slavery, abjection and exploitation.          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour (AmordadNews writer)