Catastrophe ensued when a first century BC Roman plutocrat decided that the one thing he wanted – and that money could not buy – was military glory. So he organized and led an invasion of a powerful kingdom, in hopes of securing a reputation as a mighty conqueror. It ended in his death and the slaughter of most of his army. Below are twenty three fascinating facts about that and other poorly thought out and badly executed military ventures that ended in catastrophe.
23. Rome’s Richest Man’s March to Catastrophe
Marcus Licinius Crassus (115 – 53 BC) was a prominent figure of the late Roman Republic and its wealthiest man. He grew powerful as his wealth allowed him to sponsor politicians, including Julius Caesar, whose political rise he bankrolled. The one thing he lacked, yet craved, was military glory. His pursuit of such glory ended in catastrophe. Crassus was a shrewd and avaricious businessman. An ally of the dictator Sulla in the 80s BC, he got rich bidding on the confiscated properties of those executed as enemies of the state, buying them in rigged auctions for a fraction of their value. He even arranged for the names of those whose properties he coveted to be added to the lists of enemies of the state, slated for execution and confiscation of property.
