Battle of Edessa

• The Battle of Edessa (260 CE) took place between the Persian King Shapur I and the Roman Emperor Valerian, who became the only Roman Emperor to be taken captive and die in captivity.
• Very little description of the battle has survived with only the number of soldiers in the Roman Army being known.

Date and Location

• 260 CE (Spring) at Edessa (Urfa, Turkey)

The Reason for the Battle

• Between 253-6 CE, Shapur I had repeatedly raided the Roman Province of Syria and sacked Antioch, forcing Valerian to respond.

The Adversaries

• Valerian
  • versus:
• Shapur I

The Winner

• Winner: Shapur I
• Loser: Valerian

The Strength of Forces under the Roman Empire

• Total: 70,000
• Legions: unknown
• Auxiliaries and Allies: unknown
• Allied Cavalry: unknown
• Losses: 10,000
• Taken Prisoner: 60,000

The Strength of Forces of the Sassanid Empire

• Total: Unknown
• Legions:
• Auxiliaries and Allies:
• Allied Cavalry:
• Casualties and Losses:

How the Battle was Fought

• The two armies met at Edessa, moden Urfa in Turkey.
• Very little description of the battle has survived, and the Persian numbers are unknown.
• What is known is that Valerian’s Army numbered 70,000 men and after the defeat, at least 60,000 were taken prisoner.
• According to Lactantius, whilst in captivity, King Shapur I is reputed to have used Valerian as a footstool when he mounted his horse.

The Outcome

• The captured Legionary soldiers, numbering up to 60,000 men, were then made to build the city of Bishapur and the Band-e Kaisar Dam at Shushtar, which still stands today in Iran.
• According to Lactantius, whilst in captivity, King Shapur I is reputed to have used Valerian as a footstool when he mounted his horse. Valerian was the firstRoman Emperor to die in Captivity.
• Shapur I then overran the city of Caesarea and deported its population of c.400,000 to populate provinces of the Sassanid Empire.
• Odaenathus, King of Palmyra, then inflicted a defeat on the Persian army which stopped it from invading Syria. He and his wife, Queen Zenobia went on to create a Buffer State known as the Palmyrene Empire between 260-273 CE, ending all hope of a Persian invasion.

Sources

• Lactantius

Urfa, (Edessa) Turkey