Publius Ventidius Bassus Publius Ventidius Bassus , or in full , " Publius Ventidius Publii filius Bassus " , " Publius Ventidius , Publius ' s son , Bassus " ( ) was a Roman general and one of Julius Caesar ' s protégés . He won impressive victories against the Parthians which resulted in the deaths of key leaders - victories which redeemed the losses of Crassus and paved the way for Antony ' s incursions . According to Plutarch in his " Life of Antony " , the three military victories of Ventidius over the Parthians singularly resulted in the only award ( up to the time of Plutarch ' s writing ) to a Roman general of the triumphal ceremony for victory over Parthians . History . Ventidius was from Picenum . He and his mother were captured during the Social War , and both were marched as prisoners in Pompey Strabo ' s triumph through the streets of Rome . He was forced to work as a muleteer and quickly saw the Roman Army as his path to advancement . Ventidius attracted Caesar ' s notice during the Gallic Wars , and while he does not receive mention in Caesar ' s commentaries , he did execute Caesar ' s orders with ability during Caesar ' s civil war , and became one of Caesar ' s favorites . Ventidius chose to stand pat during the early stages of Mark Antony ' s struggle with Octavian , eventually throwing his lot in with Antony . After the formation of the Second Triumvirate , Ventidius was appointed suffect consul . During Antony ' s absence in Egypt in 41 BC , Ventidius did nothing to support Antony ' s brother Lucius Antonius or Antony ' s wife Fulvia during their struggle with Octavian . After Antony had come to an agreement with Octavian off of Cape Misenum ( probably in August 39 ) , he sent Ventidius with several legions in response to a Parthian invasion launched in 40 BC . Ventidius ' first major success came when he defeated Quintus Labienus and Phranipates ( the best of King Orodes ' military commanders ) at the Battle of the Cilician Gates and the Amanus Pass . After hearing of the battles while in Athens , Antony put on a public feast in the town , then proceeded to the Levant to join him . Despite this setback , the Parthians launched another invasion into Syria led by Pacorus , the son of King Orodes . Ventidius met Pacorus ' huge army in the Battle of Cyrrhestica where he inflicted an overwhelming defeat which resulted in the death of Pacorus . This victory was the culmination of Ventidius ' campaigns , which confined the Parthians within Media ( Medes ) and Mesopotamia , and psychologically avenged the losses of Crassus , particularly at Carrhae . Ventidius could have pursued the Parthians even further : but , according to Plutarch , Ventidius had concerns regarding the possible jealousy of Antony ; and , he preferred to subdue those who had rebelled against Roman authority to pursuing the Parthians with his forces . One such rebel was Antiochus of Commagene , whom he besieged in Samosata . Antiochus tried to make peace with Ventidius , but Ventidius told him to approach Antony directly . Wanting some of the glory for himself , Antony would not allow a treaty and proceeded to take over the siege . Antony ' s siege proved to be less effective than Ventidius ' , and Antony made peace . Whereas the treaty Antiochus originally offered Ventidius contained an indemnity of 1 , 000 talents , the final treaty with Antony had an indemnity of only 300 talents . After peace was concluded , Antony sent Ventidius back to Rome where he celebrated a triumph , the first Roman to triumph over the Parthians . After celebrating his triumph , Ventidius isn ' t mentioned again . In Shakespeare . Ventidius appears briefly in Shakespeare ' s play " Antony and Cleopatra " , where he is shown leading the Roman forces against Parthia . He muses over whether to risk rousing his superior ' s jealousy by going further than he has ; after which he disappears from the play .