antony's parthian campaign in 36 bc turned into a complete debacle having been stymied by a number of factors such as extreme weather, the spread of disease, and the betrayal of artavasdes ii of armenia, who defected to the parthian side. after losing some 30,000 men, more so than crassus at carrhae (an indignity he had hoped to avenge), antony finally arrived at leukokome near berytus (modern beirut, lebanon) in december. he engaged in heavy drinking before cleopatra arrived to provide funds and clothing for his battered troops. octavia offered to lend him more troops for another expedition. antony wished to avoid the political pitfalls of returning to rome, however, so traveled with cleopatra back to alexandria to see his newborn son.