 The battle was fought during a campaign ordered by Emperor Gordian III to reoccupy the cities of Hatra, Nisibis, and Carrhae.These territories had been conquered by Shapur and his father, Ardashir I, when the Roman Empire plunged into the Crisis of the Third Century, a conflict among several pretenders to the imperial throne.Following this victory the Roman legions recovered Nisibis and Singara, and advanced by way of the Khabur to the Euphrates, intending to take Ctesiphon.