With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, few believed that the Ukrainians could resist so much that Russian troops were forced to retreat from the northern sector and the outskirts of Kiev. They did not even imagine that the flagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea would sink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u039carcus Licinius Crassus, a wealthy Roman aristocrat, a powerful member of the trinity with Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, went down in history not only because he suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus, but also as the main culprit suffered by Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wanting to surpass the two great generals of the trinity in battle glory, Crassus amassed the largest army Rome had ever seen (7 legions with more than 40,000 soldiers and cavalry) and invaded Parthia (Mesopotamia) in 55\/54 BC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sole purpose of the unprovoked war was for Crassus to reap military laurels and even more wealth. However, he did not expect that the invasion would unite the Parthians, who until then were engaged in endless civil strife. At the Battle of the Carrhae in 53 BC, the Parthian cavalry archers disbanded the Roman legions. They killed more than 30,000 soldiers. They took Crassus’s head as booty, along with the eagle banners of the legions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the “punishment” of the arrogant general, the campaign showed that the threat united the Parthians, who for the rest of the year are in constant conflict. These conflicts, however, kept them ready for war. The Carrhae may have been around 10,000 Parthians alone, but they knew the terrain well and were well-trained – they struck the enemy and drove away before reacting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A similar tactic is applied by the Ukrainians today. They use the knowledge about their country, as well as the information provided by services (national, and possibly foreign) and the local population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They know the weaknesses of the slow-moving and over-centralized Russian military administration. With their national struggle, the Ukrainians prove how wrong the Russian president is when he says that there is no Ukrainian nation. Also impressive is the dexterity of Ukrainians in the use of new technology weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But another important lesson from the Battle of Carrhae is that losers can take advantage of defeat. Caesar exerted military pressure against the Parthians, but did not engage in war with them. His successor, Augustus, continued military and diplomatic pressure, without war again, until, in 20 BC, he secured the return of the eagle-banners and thousands of the 10,000 Roman soldiers held captive for so many years. The agreement was presented by the Roman poets as a great victory over the enemy from the East. With the propaganda mechanism that Augustus had, he took advantage of the previous defeat by presenting it as a triumph, thus legitimizing the imperial system that he imposed.e is the skill of the Ukrainians in the use of new technology weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today’s historical moments shape the future of the Ukrainians and the Russians, and to a greater or lesser extent all the peoples of the wider region, perhaps even the world. As the war continues, it is unknown where the protagonists will end up. History teaches, however, that how we manage victory or defeat is more decisive for the future than the immediate result of the conflict. It is imperative that we, like everyone else, know how to move today and tomorrow, and where we want to be a decade from now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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