Has nothing to do with IB, but you, IB people, are the best bet to answer the question...

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

What really happened at Misiche? I don't get it - some say the Romans won, and Gordian was assasinated, others say that it was the Sassanids who won, and even Wikipedia is inconsistent, I remember it saying that Misiche was a Roman victory, contrary to what it says now.

So what happened?

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

16 views and not a single response? I know I look like an idiot, but can you not say it then?

[Dragases]

What really happened at Misiche? I don't get it - some say the Romans won, and Gordian was assasinated, others say that it was the Sassanids who won, and even Wikipedia is inconsistent, I remember it saying that Misiche was a Roman victory, contrary to what it says now.

So what happened?

I'm not very familiar with early third century history, but this is what I found in one of the most recent standard works on the later Roman empire:

"Insofar as anything like the truth can be extracted from these diverse accounts, it appears that Gordian's army invaded Mesopotamia in the winter of 244, and that it reached Misiche at the northwestern end of the Naarmalcha, the grand canal that traverses Mesopotamia at that point. There Sapor defeated the Romans, who withdrew back up the Euphrates to Zaitha, where the army, possibly in frustration, murdered its teenage emperor. The Roman tradition never seems to have admitted to the defeat, for even the contemporary author of some lines contained in the Thirteenth Sibylline Oracle did not know of it. What role, if any, Philip played in these transactions cannot be known, but it is interesting that even the hostile accounts of Zosimus and Zonaras do not suggest that he was with the army when the emperor died."

(Potter, D.(2004), The Roman Empire at bay: AD 180-395, London & New York, p. 236)

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Thanks, neither am I.

[Gäiten]

It is very likely that Gordian III was gravely wounded in that battle (that the Romans lost).

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Why are there conflicting versions of the story? And I still don't get when and how was Ctesiphon sacked on that campaign...

[Lionheart]

well you have several exemples of that.
About Ctesiphon Rome sacked the town five times: the first as Trajan in 116 but the town as returned next years by Hadrian. Avidius Cassius also toke the town in 164 but the town as abandoned after the peace agreement. Septimius Severus again toke the town in 197 and several thousands are sell into slavery. In 283 Carus sacked the town again during a time of civil war between the persians. And the last capture of the town was in 299 when Galerius sacked the town after beeing previuously defeated some years earlier. Do not forget also that Julianus died near the town after been beated in battle by the sassanids. The last attempt was made by emperor Heraclius in 627.

About Gordian well from what i know is cause of death remains unknow. He could be assassinated that the best possibily. But that's my opinion.

[Leonidas_caesar]

Only 5 times? Those persian scum should've been erased from the face of the earth!

How can horsearchers defend a city?

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Only 5 times? Those persian scum should've been erased from the face of the earth!

How can horsearchers defend a city?

You got banned, I didn't. HA!

[Constantius]

The shapur inscription on the ka'ba-i Zardust at Naqs-i Rustam( the Parthian text) states:
"And as soon as we had become the ruler of the territories, the emperor Gordian conscribed a force from the entire Roman Empire, the Gothic and German peoples and marched into Asurestan against the empire of the Aryans and against us; and a great frontal attack took place along the borders of Arurestan- in Misik. And the emperor Gordian was killed, and we destroyed the Roman army; and the Romans proclaimed Philip emperor"
According to the Res Gestae divi Seporis Gordian started the war in response to Shapurs succession. In 243CE Romans inflict crushing defeat on Persians at Rhesaina, which is mentioned only in Ammianus Marcellinus(Amm.xxiii.5.17) Then in 244CE, another important and decisive battle takes place at Misik, and as the inscription states the Romans were destroyed and the emperor killed. This account differs from Roman sources, as those clearly hold Philip, the praetorian Prefect, responsible for Gordian's death and do not mention battle of Misik! In both East and western traditions, victorious battle were commemorated and defeats generally ignored. This alone does not prove beyond doubt either way, but it seems likely to me that the battle resulted in a Persian victory. Prof Engelbert Winter argues that Roman sources had a predujice of Philip the Arab and do not conceal this, and it seems in all versions of western sources they tend to cover up defeat and blame Philip for the events of 244C.
( Dignas B and Winter E, (2008)Rome and Persia in Late Antiquity Cambridge)

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Thanks. Have some imaginary rep - too many infractions.

[Constantius]

Thanks and I won't ask

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Is that an implied question?

[Constantius]

Further to my post: Peace treaty of 244 CE The shapur inscription on the ka'ba-i Zardust at Naqs-i Rustam( the Parthian text) states "And the emperor Philip approached us with a petition ( regarding the conditions for surrender) and gave us for their souls a ransom of 500,000 denarii and became tributary to us; and we therefore renamed Misik as Peroz-Sapur (victorious is Shapur) Its fair to conclude then- that had the Romans under Gordian been victorious at Misik, then it be very unlikely he would sue for peace under such terms.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

I know. I had the same idea - about the renaming the place Peroz Shapur, and the huge ransom, but IIRC some Roman sources wrote that he sacked Ctesiphon or something like that.

[Constantius]

As far as my research goes; there are no Roman sources that even mention the battle itself, that comes from various Persian inscriptions. The Romans only mention Gordian killed (1), and Philip gives himself the epitaph of Parthicas for his treaty of 244 and even issued coins in celebration of the Pax fundata cum Persis, which most Roman sources describe as humiliating and detrimental, but do not mention randsom (Zos. III. 32.4)
(1)for information on Gordians death see:
Oost 1958:106-7: Winter 1998:83-07: Blackmann 1992: 66-78; Schorttky 1994: 232-5; Korner 2002:77-92

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Anyway, I didn't know the Persians kept written notices of events at all.

[Constantius]

The Sassanids would celebrate their deeds and victories on monumental rock reliefs; like the one mentioned above, but also various other sites including: Nasq-i Rajab, Sar Mashasd, and Nasqsh-i Rustam

[Aurelius Silvanus Tacitus]

In my opinion the battle was a bloody slaughter for both sides (like the battle of Mursa Major) and at the end of the day one of the two armies withdrew.In the following days the legions must have been very angry towards Gordian so they killed him. As for the battle it was a draw so each side lied saying that they won.

[Constantius]

In my opinion the battle was a bloody slaughter for both sides (like the battle of Mursa Major) and at the end of the day one of the two armies withdrew.In the following days the legions must have been very angry towards Gordian so they killed him. As for the battle it was a draw so each side lied saying that they won.

But this is my point, the Romans didn't say they won! they don't say anything. The Persians on the other hand do claim victory, but fail to mention Rhesaina the previous year.