Less welcome news came from King Khosrou of Margiana and King Musa of Hyrcania. These two rulers held the northeast frontier of the empire and could field great numbers of troops; soldiers that I had hoped could be brought west to fight the Romans and Armenians. But Khosrou informed me that the nomads who lived in the land between the Caspian and Aral seas were still raiding his northern frontier. These tribes had originally been bribed with gold by Mithridates to raid Margiana and Hyrcania so Khosrou and Musa would be fully occupied and thus not able to assist Orodes and me, but now they wished to invade Parthia and settle there. These peoples, the Saka and Huns, were wild, fierce warriors that were causing Khosrou and Musa great difficulties. As a consequence they would be able to contribute few if any troops to the army that Phriapatius was assembling.
At the end of the month I rode to Ctesiphon to see Orodes. I took Spartacus and Scarab with me as well as Peroz, who provided an escort of a hundred of his Carmanians. The whole of the empire’s western border from Dura north to Hatra and Gordyene was very quiet, though I had received letters from Byrd at Palmyra telling me that his sources reported that the Armenians were still being reinforced with mercenaries from Galatia, Cilicia, Cappadocia and Pontus. And Sarmatia, no doubt. Like us the Armenians were awaiting the arrival of Crassus before opening hostilities.
Orodes and Axsen had made the massive, ramshackle palace complex their official home now that he was king of kings and the empire’s treasury was once again located there.
A vast, sprawling edifice filled with several palaces, Ctesiphon’s walls were covered with wooden scaffolding when we rode through the main gates. Banners showing the horned bull of Babylon and the symbol of Susiana — an eagle clutching a snake in its talons — hung from the gatehouse and from flagpoles along the central avenue leading to a second gatehouse that gave access to the walled grounds of the complex’s main royal enclosure. In between these walls and the outer perimeter were barracks, stable blocks, granaries, storerooms, temples to Shamash, Ishtar and half a dozen other deities, and spacious ornamental gardens.
We left our escort to be shown to their barracks and made our way through the second gatehouse and into Ctesiphon’s inner sanctum of palaces, gardens, ornamental pools and stucco statues. We trotted along the paved road that led to the courtyard fronting a huge open-ended vaulted reception hall. Before this Demaratus and four of his Babylonian officers were standing. Dressed in scale armour cuirasses of overlapping silver scales, they wore purple long-sleeved shirts and baggy purple leggings. As I slid off Remus’ back and a stable hand took his reins, Demaratus walked over and bowed his head.
‘Greetings, majesty, welcome to Ctesiphon.’
I had been here before, once when Sinatruces had lured me here in an effort to steal Gallia from me, other times when Phraates had been high king, and none of those visits was particularly rewarding. I found it a nest of vipers and intrigue that dripped with treachery. Hopefully it would change now Orodes was high king.
‘I see the defences are being strengthened,’ I said.
‘The walls have been much neglected, majesty. It will take at least a year to finish the restoration work.’
I hoped we had that long before Roman sandals were tramping across the Mesopotamian desert. I held out a palm to Peroz.
‘This is Prince Peroz from Carmania who has brought horsemen to fight by my side.’
Peroz smiled at Demaratus who stood to attention and bowed his head. ‘Highness.’
I unstrapped my helmet and took it off as Demaratus escorted us into the reception hall towards the great red doors that led to the main throne room. Babylonian guards armed with short spears and shields stood either side of these doors and others stood along the walls.
‘The walls of Seleucia are also being repaired, majesty,’ remarked Demaratus, ‘though it will take years to restore them to their former strength.’
Spartacus and Scarab followed behind in silence and behind them walked Demaratus’ officers. The guards opened the doors to allow us to enter as we walked towards the dais at the far end of the hall where Orodes and Axsen awaited us. White marble tiles and white-painted walls and ceiling made the chamber look cavernous and the sound of our boots on the tiles echoed around the room.
I halted before my friends and bowed my head while Peroz, Spartacus and Scarab went down on one knee before Parthia’s king of kings and his wife. Near the walls stood nobles and their wives dressed in rich robes, the ladies adorned with fine jewellery. Around the dais itself were stewards and scribes, and dressed in red robes bearded priests from the Temple of Marduk in Babylon. Axsen had obviously brought her nobles and spiritual advisors from her city to Ctesiphon. Demaratus bowed to them both and then took his place beside the dais on Orodes’ right side.
‘Welcome, King Pacorus,’ said Orodes formally, ‘Lord High General of Parthia and victor of many battles.’
There was polite applause at his declaration.
‘Welcome Prince Peroz, son of King Phriapatius and our valuable ally, please rise.’
Peroz rose to his feet, leaving Spartacus and Scarab kneeling with heads bowed.
‘Rise all of you,’ commanded Orodes.
‘We are glad to see you, Pacorus,’ said Axsen who was wearing a rich purple robe with gold edging, a jewel-encrusted crown on her head and a gold necklace at her throat.
‘And I you, highness,’ I replied, causing her to smile.
The formalities out of the way, Orodes dismissed everyone in the throne room and asked to see me in his study in the palace’s private quarters to the rear of this chamber. Axsen asked Peroz, Spartacus and Scarab to escort her on a tour of the palace while I walked with Orodes along a corridor with walls decorated with paintings of animal hunts.
‘Axsen does not like it here,’ he complained. ‘She would rather be at Babylon.’
I could understand that. Babylon was where she grew up and its palace was just as splendid as Ctesiphon’s, perhaps more so.
‘Do you have to live here?’
He frowned. ‘The high king of the empire should live in its capital, inconvenient though it may be. Besides I am having it renovated, at considerable cost I may add.’
‘I noticed,’ I replied.
We arrived at his study, a slightly austere room with pigeonholes along one wall filled with old documents. I had visited it many years ago just prior to the Battle of Surkh when I had helped to defeat Narses, and afterwards had been rewarded with a great quantity of gold by a grateful Phraates. The large desk was in exactly the same position in front of wood panelling that was decorated with a beautifully painted map of the Parthian Empire. Orodes sank into the ornate chair behind the desk and pointed at another in front of it, in which I sat.
Orodes looked deflated as slaves offered us wine, pastries, wafers, fruit and yogurt. He took a rhyton of wine but waved away the offer of food. I helped myself to both wine and food as he ran a finger around the rim of his rhyton and then dismissed the slaves and ordered the two guards in the corridor to close the door.
‘The Armenians have refused my overtures to extend the peace treaty,’ he muttered.
‘Hardly a surprise,’ I replied, taking a mouthful of what was excellent wine. ‘Crassus and his army will be arriving soon. Artavasdes no doubt sees little merit in peace with the prospect of conquest dangling before his eyes. But he will not make any hostile moves before Crassus arrives.’