It appears that--about B.C.

46--a small body of Parthian horse-archers had been sent to the assistance of a certain Bassus, a Roman who amid the troubles of the times was seeking to obtain for himself something like an independent principality in Syria.

The soldiers of Bassus, after a while (B.C.

43), went over in a body to Cassius, who was in the East collecting troops for his great struggle with Antony and Octavian; and thus a handful of Parthians came into his power.

Of this circumstance he determined to take advantage, in order to obtain, if possible, a considerable body of troops from Orodes.