Best plausible roman position in Parthia during Late Rep. to Principate?

What would be the best position the Romans could be in, starting in the late republic? some kind of control of Armenia is a given, but could the Romans conquer and hold Mesopotemia or even parts of the plateau indefinitely? How could the romans counter the persian cavalry? Also, could the romans ensure something like the sassanids cannot rise?
 

Marc

Donor
My personal, but considered, take is that the desire of the Romans and their stepchildren the Byzantines to control Armenia was a chronic mistake.
Mesopotamia has always been conquerable, and always vulnerable. Being able to hold long term western Syria - which is touch and go - is far more important.
The Roman war system learned how to deal with various kinds of cavalry; their failures were usually because of poor leadership decisions, not tactical.
Short of conquering the Iranian Highlands, no one is going to prevent the rise of another major Persian state in the course of time. Population rich, resource rich, crucial location - the analogy is Gaul (France) in the West.
 
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