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The ancient world. The Ancient World Bloodline

B45 Odin Office office.

Something had definitely changed.

With Valerian Caesar in the rearview mirror and a defeneless empire spread out before him,

Shapur could pretty much do whatever he wanted.

And according to Herodian and Cassius Dio,

Sasanid intentions were clear.

Quote, winning back everything that the ancient Persians had once held

as far as the Grecian Sea.

Plant the Persian flag on the Hellaspont, big Romans not welcome sign in the front yard.

I mean, that was pretty much their whole darn reason for being.

If that's what the Persians wanted to do, it's hard to

picture a better opportunity. Shepoor's army was at maximum strength and

there was no real Roman military backstop in either Syria or Anatolia.

But instead of an epic race to the Aegean, we get a virtual repeat of 253. A few dozen cities ravaged and burned

and the taking of plunder and slaves. But notably, aside from Nisibis and Karai, no cities were invested with Persian troops.

Which seems to suggest that the Sasanids weren't really interested in capturing and holding

Roman territory, or at least any territory west of the Euphrates.

There were two possible explanations.

They didn't want it or they knew they couldn't hold it.

...