Battle of Nisibis (217)

Battle of Nisibis
Part of Caracalla's Parthian War
Date 217 Location Nisibis, Southern Armenian Highland Result Draw
Belligerents
Parthian Empire	Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Artabanus IV	Macrinus
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Heavy

The Battle of Nisibis was fought in the summer of 217 between the armies of the Roman Empire under the newly ascended emperor Macrinus and the Parthian army of King Artabanus IV. It lasted for three days, and resulted in a bloody draw, with both sides suffering large casualties. As a result of the battle, Macrinus was forced to seek peace, paying the Parthians a huge sum and abandoning the invasion of Mesopotamia that Caracalla had begun a year before.

For centuries, Rome and Parthia had dominated the Middle East and antagonized each other. During that period, several invasions of Parthian territory were led by Roman leaders, most notably the failed campaign of Crassus and the conquest of Mesopotamia by Trajan. In the early 210s, a civil war broke out in the Parthian Empire, where Artabanus V rose up against his brother Vologases VI. Artabanus quickly established control of most of the western territories, bringing him into contact with the Roman Empire. At this point, the Roman emperor Caracalla, who considered himself a second Alexander, decided to take advantage from the Parthian conflict. He proposed an alliance to Artabanus, and even asked to marry his daughter. When the alliance was agreed upon, Caracalla with his army entered Mesopotamia unopposed, ostensibly to meet his ally and future father-in-law. But when he came upon Artabanus and his court, Caracalla treacherously attacked and slew many of them. Artabanus escaped, but the Romans were free to plunder the lands east of the Tigris before returning to Edessa for the winter.

However, on 8 April 217, Caracalla fell victim to a plot by his praetorian prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus and was murdered. Macrinus became emperor, but already Artabanus was approaching, having gathered a large army in order to avenge himself for the Romans' treacherous attack. The situation was summed up well by Macrinus himself in the speech he delivered to his army, as delivered by Herodian:

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