Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry

In this innovative study, historian and novelist Goldsworthy (Philip and Alexander) examines how the ancient world was shaped by Cold War-like tensions between two superpowers: the Roman Empire and the Parthian and Sasanian Persian empires (which Goldsworthy treats as one continuous political entity—it included at its core modern-day Iran, Iraq, and most of Syria, and encompassed neighboring regions at various points throughout its history). In the first century CE, conflicts between the two empires were often resolved by military actions within frontier kingdoms, which would typically shift allegiances depending on the current strength of their imperial neighbors. During times of direct confrontation, victories and defeats accrued to both sides equally, resulting in an equilibrium of power. By the eighth century, both empires were coping with internal strife and beset by invasions of Goths, Huns, and Turks, who would often ally themselves with one of the superpowers to the detriment of the other. Rome’s relationship with the Parthian and Sasanian Persian empires was the longest and most influential of its existence, Goldsworthy convincingly demonstrates, far outweighing Carthage (a mere 100-year rivalry) in importance. Meticulous yet sweeping in scope, this is a major contribution to the understanding of a significant period in world history. (Sept.)