What if: Roman victory at Carrhae? Results for Crassus and Parthian Empire?

This scenario can be broken down into four constituent themes:

How might Crassus have "won" at the Battle Of Carrhae? Let's assume that history follows more or less the same course as it did up until maybe the couple days or so prior to the battle. This means that Crassus has already decided on a direct route marching across the desert (rather than a more circuitous route through the mountains of Armenia), and has politely declined Armenian aid (which amounted to about 16,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry). Thus, the forces available at Crassus's disposal are as follows: about 40,000 heavy infantry, 5,000 light infantry, and 5,000 cavalry. The Parthian forces are: about 10,000 horse archers and 1,000 heavy cavalry. The terrain is a flat desert.

One more note: I put "won" in quotation marks because I don't think Crassus actually needs to win an outright decisive victory in this scenario, he just needs to ensure that his army doesn't get completely routed like it did in OTL and he doesn't get himself killed. I think even a "tactical defeat" would be an acceptable result as long as Crassus is able to withdraw his army in decent order.

How would Crassus continue his campaign, assuming the above result at Carrhae? Would he be able to continue his invasion of Parthia, or would he be forced to withdraw to friendly territory to lick his wounds? If the latter, how would he adapt / reform his army to better respond to the threats he faced at Carrhae? Would he accept aid from the Armenians?

How does Crassus's survival affect the political situation in Rome? Was the civil war between the Caesarian and Pompeian factions inevitable, or is there any hope that Crassus can continue to mediate between the two and prevent (or at least delay) the war? If civil war does break out, which side does Crassus take, and what role would the wealth obtained from plundering Parthia, as well as possessing several veteran legions, play in the ensuing conflict?

Is a Roman annexation of Parthia now possible? Would a military defeat of this magnitude be enough to spell the downfall of the Arsacid dynasty? How would the Romans rule a hypothetical Persian province? And what impacts does this produce down the line regarding the Silk Road, Roman contacts with China, and the rise of Islam?
 
IIRC Parthian army at Carrhae was actually a delaying force, since king Orodes II was with main army in Armenia. Parthian victory was, to some degree, a surprise to Parthian king himself. So let's assume Crassus is not crushed and decides to continue marching into Parthia. Surena's force (still existing) would do what it was supposed to do: delay Roman march, harass them with hit and run tactics using its greater mobility and superiority of Parthian cavalry over its Roman counterpart. IMO it would end with another Carrhae, i.e. victory over exhausted and weakened Romans, only in different place, especially if Orodes II comes with rest of Parthian forces.
If Crassus is smart, a bloody nose he receives at Carrhae might be a warning enough to be more cautious, so he withdraws. That gives Orodes II time to deal with Armenia (as he did IOTL), so Crassus would not be able to count on Armenian help. Therefore any further invasion of Parthia would be with Roman forces only. I have my doubts if it would be possible, especially against full might of the Parthians.
 
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How might Crassus have "won" at the Battle Of Carrhae? Let's assume that history follows more or less the same course as it did up until maybe the couple days or so prior to the battle. This means that Crassus has already decided on a direct route marching across the desert (rather than a more circuitous route through the mountains of Armenia), and has politely declined Armenian aid (which amounted to about 16,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry).


IIRC the Armenians offered aid only if Parthia was invaded by way of the mountains of Armenia, where the formidable Parthian cavalry would be least effective. That was probably Crassus's only real hope of beating the Parthians. More troops, and terrain less favorable to the enemy might have done it.



 
If Crassus wins at Carrhae he still has to face the main Parthian Army near the Armenian Border. Crassus' Supply lines are only going to get even further prone to raids by Parthian Cavalry. Besides which, Crassus was a terrible General. Even if his one strategy for Carrhae, the Caltrops, works, he still has to face another, larger Parthian Army and Crassus always had trouble adapting plans to suit circumstances. His strategy for Carrhae IOTL when the Caltrops failed was to Testudo up and hope the Parthians ran out of arrows, which they didn't and which made his army a sitting duck.

Meanwhile Crassus' Political Support at home is rapidly drying up with Caesar campaigning in Gaul and only Pompey back in Rome to handle the Senate, something he was going to be increasingly unable to do as his support amongst the Plebs continues to funnel to Caesar. The First Triumvirate is ending and Victory at Carrhae might even accelerate it.
 
So far, it looks like the responses have provided four possible outcomes of the imminent battle, only one of which shows any real ATL promise:

1) Victory at Carrhae: Crassus lives and his army remains largely intact; continues marching into Parthia. However, his supply lines are stretched, and his troops continue to suffer from the desert, attrition, and continued harassment by Surena's surviving forces, and it will only get worse once he reaches the main bulk of the Parthian army. Crassus might have won at Carrhae, but defeat is inevitable sooner or later; this scenario only delays the OTL outcome.

2) Draw / inconclusive battle at Carrhae: Crassus will keep marching on, ultimately leads to same result as above.

3) Slight defeat at Carrhae: Crassus lives, but army suffers sufficient losses that he is forced to rethink his plans, and withdraws to friendly territory to regroup. Maybe focuses on fortifying the towns and cities they've already captured, then maybe send forces to aid Armenia (since more Romans will have survived than in OTL).

4) Total defeat at Carrhae: pretty much the same as in OTL; Crassus dies and army is completely routed.
 
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