Episodes

  • Parthia's Battle of Mount Gindarus 38 BC

    Parthia's Battle of Mount Gindarus 38 BC
    Jun 13 2026
    In 38 BC, the Parthian prince Pacorus I, son of King Orodes II, led a massive invasion of Roman Syria. At the Battle of Mount Gindarus, the Roman general Publius Ventidius Bassus—a former muleteer turned commander—deployed a clever stratagem that broke the Parthian cataphracts and killed Pacorus. This episode explores the battle's tactics, Pacorus' ambitions, and how Ventidius avenged Crassus at Carrhae. We also examine the aftermath: the Parthian civil war that followed Pacorus' death, the rise of Phraates IV, and Rome's shifting eastern policy. Unlike Carrhae, this battle is little-known today, yet it shaped the balance of power for decades. #Parthia #Rome #PacorusI #VentidiusBassus #MountGindarus #Cataphract #ParthianShot #OrodesII #PhraatesIV #Carrhae #RomanSyria #Antony #Battle38BC #AncientWarfare #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #MilitaryHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • Parthia's Final Emperor Artabanus IV and the End of an Empire

    Parthia's Final Emperor Artabanus IV and the End of an Empire
    Jun 12 2026
    In this episode of The Parthian Empire: Rome's Forgotten Eastern Rival, Lucas and Luna explore the tumultuous final years of the Arsacid dynasty. They focus on Artabanus IV, the last Parthian emperor, who faced a devastating civil war with his brother Vologases VI, a costly war with Rome under Caracalla and Macrinus, and the growing rebellion of Ardashir I in Persis. How did internal strife and external pressure pave the way for the Sasanian Empire? Lucas unpacks the Battle of Nisibis in 217 AD, the peace treaty that followed, and the final siege of Ctesiphon in 224 AD. The conversation also touches on the role of the Karen and Suren noble families, and the strategic significance of Mesopotamia. A must-listen for anyone interested in the decline of ancient empires and the rise of the Sasanian dynasty. #ArtabanusIV #VologasesVI #ArdashirI #ParthianEmpire #SasanianEmpire #BattleOfNisibis #Caracalla #Macrinus #Ctesiphon #Mesopotamia #Persis #ArsacidDynasty #KarenFamily #SurenFamily #AncientHistory #RomanHistory #MiddleEastHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • Parthia's Battle of the Euphrates 69 BC: Lucullus vs Tigranes

    Parthia's Battle of the Euphrates 69 BC: Lucullus vs Tigranes
    Jun 12 2026
    In 69 BC, Roman general Lucullus marched into the heart of the Parthian sphere, but not against Parthia itself. Instead, he targeted Tigranes the Great of Armenia, who had married into the Arsacid dynasty and claimed the title 'King of Kings'. This episode explores the Battle of Tigranocerta, where Lucullus defeated a vastly larger Armenian army, and the diplomatic dance with the Parthian king Phraates III. We unpack the shifting alliances, the siege of the new Armenian capital, and how Parthia watched from the sidelines as Rome and Armenia bled each other. Featuring the Roman envoy Sextilius, the Parthian general Mithraustes, and the fate of the captured city. A forgotten chapter in the long rivalry between Rome and the East. #ParthianEmpire #BattleOfTigranocerta #Lucullus #TigranesTheGreat #Armenia #PhraatesIII #Mithraustes #Sextilius #RomeVsParthia #69BC #Hellenistic #AncientWarfare #Ctesiphon #Arsacid #Pontus #MithridatesVI #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 mins
  • Parthia's Battle of Nisibis 217 AD Rome's Last Stand

    Parthia's Battle of Nisibis 217 AD Rome's Last Stand
    Jun 11 2026
    In 217 AD, the Roman emperor Caracalla was assassinated, and his successor Macrinus faced a massive Parthian army under Artabanus IV at Nisibis. This bloody battle, fought with cavalry charges and cataphracts, ended in a stalemate that forced Rome to pay a staggering indemnity. But the real loser was the Arsacid dynasty itself: the war drained Parthia's resources, leaving it vulnerable to the rising Sasanian rebellion. Lucas and Luna explore the strategic blunders, the role of the Roman army in the east, and how this overlooked battle set the stage for the fall of the Parthian Empire. Along the way, they discuss the Parthian cavalry tactics, the role of the praetorian prefect, and the controversial peace treaty that shocked the Roman world. #ParthianEmpire #BattleOfNisibis #ArtabanusIV #Macrinus #Caracalla #RomanEmpire #Sasanian #Cataphract #ParthianCavalry #Mesopotamia #AncientWarfare #ArsacidDynasty #RomanHistory #FexingoHistory #AncientHistory #History #MilitaryHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • The Parthian Princess Who Became Queen of Armenia

    The Parthian Princess Who Became Queen of Armenia
    Jun 11 2026
    Episode 92 explores the remarkable story of Princess Erato of Parthia, who through marriage became Queen of Armenia in the first century BCE. We discuss how the Arsacid dynasty extended its influence through royal marriages, the shifting allegiances of the Armenian nobility, and the Roman-Parthian rivalry over the buffer kingdom of Armenia. Key figures include Tigranes the Great, Artavasdes II, Mark Antony, and Queen Erato herself. We examine ancient sources like Tacitus and Movses Khorenatsi, and the archaeological evidence from Garni and Artaxata. This episode reveals a lesser-known aspect of Parthian soft power and the complex geopolitics of the Near East. #ParthianEmpire #Armenia #QueenErato #ArsacidDynasty #TigranesTheGreat #RomanParthianWars #Artaxata #Garni #Tacitus #MovsesKhorenatsi #SoftPower #RoyalMarriages #MarkAntony #HistoricalWhatIf #FexingoHistory #MiddleEastHistory #AncientHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • The Parthian Royal Road: A Network of Speed and Power

    The Parthian Royal Road: A Network of Speed and Power
    Jun 10 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Parthian Royal Road, the empire's arterial highway system that connected the Mediterranean to Central Asia. They discuss how the road was built on earlier Achaemenid routes, the relay station system that allowed messages to travel at incredible speeds, and the role of the angarium—the state postal service—in maintaining imperial control. They dive into the logistics of travel, the dangers of banditry, and the road's impact on trade and military strategy. Specific figures like the Greek geographer Isidore of Charax, whose work 'Parthian Stations' provides our best ancient description of the route, are highlighted. The conversation also touches on the road's decline after the Sasanian takeover and its lasting legacy on later Islamic-era highways. Listeners will gain a vivid picture of how the Parthians managed their sprawling empire through movement and communication. #ParthianRoyalRoad #Angarium #IsidoreOfCharax #ParthianStations #SilkRoad #Ctesiphon #Ecbatana #Hecatompylos #Merv #SeleuciaOnTheTigris #Achaemenid #Sasanian #AncientTrade #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #RomanEmpire #AncientInfrastructure Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    5 mins
  • Parthia's Battle of Nisibis 217 AD: Rome's Last Stand

    Parthia's Battle of Nisibis 217 AD: Rome's Last Stand
    Jun 10 2026
    In 217 AD, the Roman Empire and Parthian Empire fought their last great battle at Nisibis. This episode explores the clash between Emperor Macrinus and King Artabanus IV, the terms of the resulting peace treaty, and how this battle foreshadowed the end of the Arsacid dynasty. We discuss the role of the Parthian cataphracts, the strategic importance of Nisibis, and the diplomatic aftermath that saw Rome pay a massive indemnity. Also covered: the assassination of Caracalla that triggered the war, the rise of Macrinus as the first non-senatorial emperor, and how the battle's outcome destabilized both empires, paving the way for the Sasanian rise under Ardashir I. #ParthianEmpire #BattleOfNisibis #Macrinus #ArtabanusIV #Caracalla #Arsacid #RomanParthianWars #Cataphract #Nisibis #Mesopotamia #PeaceOf217 #Sasanian #ArdashirI #ThirdCenturyCrisis #MilitaryHistory #AncientWarfare #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    5 mins
  • The Parthian Strategy That Broke the Roman War Machine

    The Parthian Strategy That Broke the Roman War Machine
    Jun 9 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the military tactics that allowed the Parthian Empire to consistently defeat the Roman legions—not just at Carrhae, but in a series of campaigns that reshaped the ancient Near East. They focus on the shadowy figure of Surena, the Suren nobleman who engineered the disaster at Carrhae in 53 BCE, and explore how his combination of cataphract heavy cavalry and horse archers exploited Roman weaknesses. The conversation also covers the role of the 'Parthian shot', the logistics of steppe warfare, and the surprising aftermath of the battle, including Crassus' severed head being used as a stage prop in a performance of Euripides' Bacchae. Lucas explains how the Parthian feudal system, with its powerful noble families like the Suren and Karen, enabled these tactics, and how the empire's decentralized structure both helped and hindered its ability to project power. The episode ends with a reflection on why Parthia remains overshadowed by Rome in popular memory. #ParthianEmpire #Surena #Carrhae #ParthianShot #Cataphract #HorseArchers #MarcusLiciniusCrassus #SurenNobleFamily #ParthianTactics #RomanLegions #AncientWarfare #SteppeWarfare #CrassusDeath #EuripidesBacchae #FexingoHistory #History #MiddleEast #AncientHistory Fexingo founder and producer: Ibnul Jaif Farabi Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins