Part 2/10:
The origins of the Silk Road can be traced back over 2,000 years, when the Roman Empire began its audacious expansion into the East. The Romans, who had already conquered much of Europe, looked to the East for riches and trade. However, their ambitions would soon lead them into conflict with the formidable Parthian Empire at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 B.C.E. Here, the Parthians, employing innovative cavalry tactics with their skilled horse archers, decimated Roman forces, marking one of the republic's most devastating military failures.