CRASSUS, MARCCS ( ?—n.c. 53). A Roman triumvir. He was a zealous partisan of Sulla, and rendered him efficient service in the battle at. the Colline Grate. ex. S3, which sealed the. fate of the Marians. As praq or lie crushed the revolt of the gladiators under Sparta us in B.C. 71, and in the following year was made consul With Pompeius, a colleague whom he hated. On the other hand, Caesar valued the friendship of Crassus, the most wealthy of Roman citizens. During his consulate Crassus gave a feast to the people, which was spread on 10,000 tables, and distributed a provision of corn for three months. Plutarch estimates the wealth of Crassus at more than 7000 talents, and Pliny states that his lands were worth 8000 talents. In me. 60 Ca•sar, Pompeius, and Crassus entered into the first triumvirate. (See C.lisaa.) In n.c. 55, as consul with Pompeius, he obtained the Province of Syria. and professed to make preparations of
War against the Parthians; hut the acquisition of more wealth seems to have been his main ob ject., and this he effected by plundering the towns and temples in Syria. At length. however, he undertook a campaign in we. 54, after which he returned to Syria. ]n the following year he•set out again. but was misguided by a treacherous Arab, and utterly defeated at the river Bilechas by the Parthians. Crassus now retreated to the town of Carrhx, intending to pass into Armenia; but was beguiled into a conference with the Parthian general, Surenas, and was slain at the appointed place of meeting. His qmestor. Cas sius, with 500 cavalry, escaped into Syria; but the remaining Romans were scattered and made prisoners, or put to death.