[-12-] This was what took place in Gaul, and Caesar wintered there so as to be able to keep strict control of affairs.  Crassus, desiring for his part to accomplish something that would confer some glory and profit upon him, made a campaign against the Parthians, since after consideration he saw no such opportunity in Syria, where the people were quiet and the officers who had formerly warred against the Romans were by reason of their impotency causing no disturbance.  He had no complaint to bring against the Parthians nor had war been decreed, but he heard that they were exceeding wealthy and expected that Orodes would be easy to capture, because but newly established.  Therefore he crossed the Euphrates and proceeded to traverse a considerable portion of Mesopotamia, devastating and ravaging the country.  As his crossing was unexpected by the barbarians no strong guard had been placed at that point.  Silaces, then governor of that region, was quickly defeated near Ichnai, a fortress so named, after contending with a few horsemen.  He was wounded and retired to report personally to the king the Romans’ invasion:[-13-] Crassus quickly got possession of the garrisons and especially the Greek cities, among them one named Nicephorium.  Many of the Macedonians and of the rest that fought for the Parthians were Greek colonists, oppressed by violence, and not unwillingly transferred their allegiance to the Romans, who, they strongly hoped, would be favorable to the Greeks.  The inhabitants of Zenodotium, pretending a willingness to revolt, sent for some of the invaders, but when they were within the town cut them off and killed them, for which act they were driven from their homes.  Outside of this Crassus for the time being neither inflicted nor received any serious harm.  He certainly would have subdued the other regions beyond the Tigris, if he had followed up the advantage from his own attack and the barbarians’ panic equally in all respects, and had he wintered furthermore where he was, keeping a sharp lookout on their behavior.  As it turned out, he captured only what he could seize by sudden assault and paid no heed to the rest nor to the people themselves, but wearied by his stay in Mesopotamia and longing for the indolence of Syria he afforded the Parthians time to prepare themselves and to injure the soldiers left behind in their country.

[-14-]This was the beginning that the Romans made of war against them.  They dwell beyond the Tigris, possessing for the most part forts and garrisons, but also a few cities, among them Ctesiphon, in which there is a palace.  Their stock was very likely in existence among the original barbarians and they had this same name even under the Persian rule.  But at that time they inhabited only a small portion of the country and had not obtained any transmontane sovereignty.  When the Persian kingdom had been destroyed and that of the Macedonians had reached its prime, and then the successors of Alexander had quarreled