Chapter 3610
Prolonged Looting and Supply
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Confident in the vast power disparity that followed the end of the war, Ganassis, after a thorough assessment of the situation, abandoned the arduous and thankless option of a forced pursuit.
Problems that are difficult to solve on the battlefield can also be solved through means outside the battlefield.
If one is unable to resolve a situation through means outside the battlefield, it is more of a last resort.
However, if one chooses to resolve the issue through means outside the battlefield when one has sufficient strength, it only means that means outside the battlefield are more cost-effective or less troublesome.
Parthia was indeed a rich and powerful empire, but this richness and power were concentrated in the core region of Parthia.
This area, which Parthia has cultivated for over a hundred years, is the core of Parthia and the region that has made the greatest contribution.
Only by possessing the Parthian army in this region could they have the capacity to train a large army and a large number of cavalry.
Without the support of this region, the Parthian army was ultimately like a rootless plant; how far could it possibly grow?
It could be said that the more cavalry units Ganassis saw, the more stable he felt.
The more cavalry there are, the greater the logistical burden, and the larger the territory needed to support these cavalry units.
It was precisely this substantial supply and demand, and the pressure to supply, that made it difficult for Parthia's cavalry to remain hidden from Roman intelligence.
Once discovered, the Roman army, with its overwhelming strength, could kill its opponent in many ways.
Whether you trap them or annihilate them with overwhelming force, it's a simple matter!
It is precisely because of the opponent's strength that it is easy to deal with them.
If the enemy no longer maintains such strength, it will indeed be difficult for them to search for and annihilate them. But if the enemy no longer has such strength, is it still necessary for Rome to target them?
Only those who possess the ability to threaten Rome will give Rome the possibility of targeting them. If they don't have the ability to threaten Rome, why would Rome target them?
Is it solely because the other party is a remnant of Parthia?
If that's the only possibility, then should we also exterminate all the people of Parthia?
If Rome acts with this mindset, it shouldn't expect anything more. Even if all of Rome's current troops were devoted to annihilating the Parthian people, it would still be a task that cannot be accomplished in a short time.
The Parthian population of tens of millions is not something that can be wiped out in a short period of time.
If Ganassis were to truly commit to killing so many people, he estimated that most Roman citizens would find it difficult to live with themselves.
As citizens of Rome, we have our own responsibilities and obligations, but these absolutely do not include such wanton massacres.
Although they participate in and accept war, they absolutely do not accept such behavior.
Moreover, if such an action were to take place, it would likely ignite the Parthian people's will to resist, and the war situation they would face would be far more troublesome than it is now.
If such a system were to descend into a massive war of popular strife, especially with the Han Empire fanning the flames from the sidelines, it would be utterly disgusting.
After quickly reviewing his thoughts, Ganassis considered the subsequent emergency measures and found that most of them were essentially useless.
Since existing measures are ineffective, leaving it unattended might be more effective.
After Ganassis led his army to cooperate with Severus, he explained the relevant intelligence information and the methods and procedures for handling it.
As for Ganassis's suggestion, Severus thought about it and then agreed. Parthia was indeed a good place, especially its core area, which was truly very wealthy.
If it was within the territory of Rome, then holding onto that area would be a good thing, whether for future tax revenue or for continued rule.
Unfortunately, the distance was too great. Given Rome's current strength and the distance it could travel, the cost and time required to forcibly establish dominance would be far too high.
With the empire's territory already under semi-control, Severus, as the Roman emperor, was well aware that Rome could no longer control the lands of another empire.
It's not that we lack the strength or the ability.
If control were truly desired, long-distance deterrent control could be employed to forcibly seize control of the land in this region, but this is unnecessary.
The animosity between Parthia and Rome meant that it could not be resolved in the short term.
If Rome chooses to plunder the core areas of Parthia, it will only deepen the hatred between the two sides and greatly increase the cost of governance and stability maintenance.
But if Rome didn't plunder the core area of Parthia, who would pay the price Rome paid during the war?
The Roman army, having fought a war, couldn't possibly have to bear the consequences of its own actions, could it?
The manpower, material resources, and financial resources invested in the war during this period alone could be considered an overdraft even for a powerful Rome.
Therefore, given the current situation, the only option Severus could choose when facing the core area of Parthia was to plunder it to the point of exhaustion.
As for whether the Parthians living on this land will hate them even more after such plundering, and whether they will be able to survive.
These issues were not within the scope of the Romans' considerations.
It is only natural for the winner to take everything from the loser.
As for the hatred between the two sides, they have been fighting for over a hundred years, and their history of bloodshed and tears has been told year after year. What's a little more?
Given this situation, forcibly seizing everything from the other side, depriving them of their ability to resist and their economic and administrative frameworks that provide the basis for resistance, would actually be more conducive to peace between the two sides.
Peace can be established not only between two empires of equal strength, but also between the strong and the weak.
When the strong feel compassion, the weak will naturally be able to have peace.
When the strong no longer feel pity, the weak naturally become the source of sustenance for the strong.
Rome had a very deep understanding of this.
When Rome's political system became unstable, it either attacked or plundered neighboring tribes.
Even with external enemies and the potential to gain benefits from them, Rome's not-so-stable system was still able to survive.
Furthermore, to become the Roman emperor, one must possess sufficient and superior military strength, which is why Rome has always suppressed the surrounding foreign tribes.
Without such formidable power, how could the Mediterranean Sea possibly be turned into an inland sea? (End of Chapter)