Julian's Persian War
| Julian's Persian War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Roman–Persian Wars | |||||||||
 Investiture of King Shapur II by the gods Mithras (left) and Ahuramazda (right); the body of Julian is trampled underfoot. Reliefs at Taq-i Bustan. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Roman Empire Arsacid Armenia |
Sassanian Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Julian the Apostate Arsaces II |
Shapur II | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
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120,000
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Unknown, but presumed to be numerically inferior to the Romans | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Heavy | Moderate (by modern estimations) |
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Decisive Sassanian victory
(Perso-Roman Peace Treaty of 363)
120,000
Julian's Persian War, or the Perso-Roman War of 363, was the last undertaking of the Roman emperor Julian, begun in March 363. It was an aggressive war against the Persian Empire ruled by the Sassanian king Shapur II. Shapur is believed to have expected an invasion by way of the Tigris valley. Julian sent a detachment to join with his ally Arshak II of Armenia and take the Tigris route. Meanwhile, with his main army he advanced rapidly down the Euphrates valley, meeting only scattered opposition, and reached the walls of the Persian capital Ctesiphon where he met and defeated the Persian army at the Battle of Ctesiphon (363). Unable to take the city, and with a faltering plan of campaign, He was misled by Persian spies into burning his fleet and taking a disadvantageous route of retreat in which his army was constantly harassed and his progress crawled to a halt.
In one of the skirmishes Julian was wounded and later died of his wounds leaving his successor along with his army trapped in Persian territory. The leaderless Roman army chose Jovian as Julian's successor. The new emperor, in light of the "crushing military defeat" the Romans had suffered, was left no option but to agree to humiliating terms in order to save the remnants of his army, and himself, from complete annihilation. The ignominious treaty of 363 transferred to Persian rule the major cities and fortresses of Nisibis and Singara, and renounced the alliance with Armenia, giving Shapur de facto authority to invade and annex Arsacid Armenia as a result. Thus Arsaces II of Armenia was left without any military or diplomatic support. He was captured and imprisoned by Shapur in 368; he committed suicide in 369 or 370 whilst in Persian captivity.
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