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Crassus

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Roman general and wealthiest man of his age, defeated by Parthians at Carrhae

Detailed Definition
Marcus Licinius Crassus, part of the First Triumvirate, sought military glory to match Caesar and Pompey but died ignominiously. His greed and ambition led to ruin. Poets cite him as a cautionary tale of wealth without wisdom, imperial overreach, and the futility of chasing glory.
Example
Example in poetry:
Crassus appears in Roman and later poetry as the embodiment of avarice and failed ambition; Poets reference his death by molten gold to symbolize greed’s punishment; In neoclassical verse, Crassus contrasts with noble poverty; Modern poets use Crassus to critique wealth-driven imperialism; His role in the First Triumvirate inspires poems on unstable power alliances; Crassus’s Parthian defeat becomes a metaphor for overreach.
Additional Notes
Marcus Licinius Crassus (c. 115–53 BCE), wealthiest Roman of his era, member of the First Triumvirate, died in the Parthian campaign; in poetry, Crassus symbolizes avarice, the futility of ambition, or the corrupting power of wealth—his death (molten gold poured down his throat, per legend) is a potent image of poetic justice, referenced in works on greed or imperial overreach.
Also Known As
Marcus Licinius Crassus
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