Perso-Roman Relations

The Romans and Persians were at each other's throats for a large part of their history, I've always wondered why their wars erupted every generation. My question is, how hostile would the two states be should a stable-ish border be formed between a Roman Mesopotamia and Persia proper.

My idea was that taking and holding Mesopotamia would neuter Persia, take away a lot of its teeth and maybe make it more docile at least in regards to the West. But, then again it might just agitate Persia and give it a more concrete mission to restore its lost territory.

So, is mesopotamia the key to crippling the Eastern threat for Rome or is it just another reason to get dragged into war with Persia.
 
The real power of the Sassanids was in eastern Mesopotamia, so it depends on how much left they control or if they're able to get it back in the short term. Without Mesopotamia for a long time, the Sassanids don't have the power to retake it, so they end up paying tribute to Rome and get wiped out by the Turks, or replaced by another Zoroastrian dynasty, or both. Rome has too many other problems to enact a full conquest beyond modern-day Kuwait.
 
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