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==Roman and Parthian Wars ==
Prior to Carrhae, Rome had expanded rapidly and almost at will. However, the defeat at Carrhae and ended this seemingly remorseless expansion in the Middle East. In the aftermath of the defeat, Rome withdrew some garrisons from the eastern side of the Euphrates River. However, the defeat was a national humiliation and especially the legionary eagles that were seized by the Parthians at Carrhae. Caesar swore revenge, and many believe that he was going to invade Parthia before his assassination. The defeat at Carrhae, was something that the Romans had to be avenged. During the civil wars the Parthians supported the enemies of Caesar. During the Roman civil wars in the 40s BCE the Parthians were able to occupy much of the Roman East<ref> Holland, Tom. Rubicon : the last years of the Roman Republic (London, Doubleday, 2005), p 45</ref>. The end of the second Roman Civil War allowed the Romans to retake their possessions. Mark Anthony later launched an invasion of Parthia to punish the victorsof Carrhae, but this too ended in a disaster. The lessons from the defeat were not learned. It was up to Augustus to develop a strategy that led to a period of peace. He was later able to negotiate to have the legionary standards that were captured at the defeat to be returned to Rome. However, the defeat continued to haunt Rome and many emperors dreamt of avenging that most calamitous defeat. There were persistent tensions between Rome and Parthia. The two countries were strategic rivals after the battle and each vied for influence in the strategically important kingdom of Armenia<ref>Holland, p. 203</ref>. The relative calm of the 1st century was ended by the invasion of Trajan of Parthia and the next few decades saw many wars between the two great powers in the Ancient Near. Carrhae was the beginning of some two centuries of mistrust and occasionally war between Rome and Parthia.
== Carrhae and the end of the Roman Republic==
The disaster at Carrhae was soon followed by a series of civil wars that resulted the Roman Empire that were only ended by the fall of the Republic. The Republic had been greatly weakened by the March of Sulla on the city and his seizure of power. However, the death of Crassus at Carrhae was a crucial stage in the fall of the Roman Republic. Many historians have linked the death of Crassus at Carrhae with the beginning of the civil wars. Crassus was helping to ensure that Pompey and Caesar continued to cooperate in the First Triumvirate. The death of Crassus and the death of Julia the wife of Pompey and the daughter of Caesar ended the ties that bound Pompey and Caesar. Without Crassus in the First Triumvirate, it was inevitable that the political alliance would collapse. Another theory is that Crassus was essential to maintain the relationship between Caesar and the Roman elite. Without him these bonds were broken and the relationship between the conqueror of Gaul and the Senate deteriorated in the wake of Carrhae<ref>Holland, p. 245</ref>. Civil War broke out when Caesar crossed the Rubicon. If Crassus had lived then he would have been able to maintain the balance of power between Pompey and Caesar, which could have prolonged the life of the Republic. The disaster at Carrhae helped at least to bring about a period of civil wars that ended with an imperial form of government in Rome.