Imperium Aeternum - Chronology : 30 BC
Antony and Agrippa trick Zuphius’ army into being surrounded by two large contingents of Roman cavalry, but Zuphius manages to defeat the Roman cavalry with his cataphracts and force a Roman retreat north, away from Gaugamela. Antony and Agrippa split up, with Zuphius in pursuit. At this point, Zuphius is convinced of his superior numbers and ability and races after Antony while ignoring Agrippa’s force following closely behind him. In April, Agrippa attacks Zuphius’ rear flank while Antony encircles him from the left and right. The resulting Battle of Gorduene ends in a massive Parthian defeat. Zuphius accepts a bribe from Antony and Agrippa who decide to use his cataphracts to help subdue the rest of northern Mesopotamia and use Zuphius’ influence to convince other satraps to swear allegiance to Rome. By November, several satraps accept bribes and help bolster the Roman force in northern Mesopotamia. By the end of the year, Praaspa is captured and most of Media is under Antony and Agrippa’s control.
Caesar and Scipio engage Phraates and Vordones on the open plains outside Tabae at the Final Battle of Tabae April. Phraates and Vordones are defeated and the battle ends in Vordones’ death. Caesar rides on his horse Sephius triumphantly through the streets of Tabae three days later, declaring, “I am the Conqueror”, a phrase that, according to Livy, will later lead the Senate to confer upon Caesar the title Victrix (the conqueror). Caesar burns the city to the ground so as to deny the Parthians the satisfaction of ever re-conquering the city and to instill fear in the other Parthian satraps. Scipio begins campaigning in Hyrcania, along the shore of the Caspian Sea, while Caesar pursues Phraates V southeast into Carmania. Caesar spends the rest of the year pursuing Phraates and being harassed constantly by Parthian militias.