Reign of Caligula Corbulo's early career is unknown but he was
suffect consul in AD 39 during the reign of Caligula, his brother-in-law through Caligula's marriage to Corbulo's half-sister
Milonia Caesonia.
In Germania Inferior After Caligula's assassination, Corbulo's career came to a halt until, in AD 47, the new Emperor
Claudius made him commander of the armies in
Germania Inferior, with a base camp in
Colonia (
Cologne). The new assignment was a difficult one and Corbulo had to deal with major rebellions by the Germanic
Cherusci and
Chauci tribes. During his stay in
Germania, the general ordered the construction of a canal between the rivers
Rhine and
Meuse. Parts of this engineering work, known as
Fossa Corbulonis or Corbulo's Canal, have been found at archaeological digs. It ran largely parallel to the modern-day
Vliet canal, which connects the modern towns of
Leiden (ancient
Matilo) and
Voorburg (
Forum Hadriani). Upon reaching lower Germania, Corbulo employed both the army and naval squadrons of the fleet patrolling the Rhine and the North Sea, eventually expelling the Chauci away from the Roman Provinces and instituting a rigorous training program in order to ensure maximum effectiveness of his legions. He supposedly executed two legionaries after they were found to have laid aside their swords when labouring in the construction of fortifications on a marching camp. Corbulo is purported to have said, "You defeat the enemy with a pickaxe."
In the east Corbulo returned to Rome, where he stayed until AD 52, when he was named governor of the province of
Asia. Following Claudius' death in AD 54, the new emperor
Nero sent him to the eastern
provinces to deal with the
Armenian question. After some delay, and reinforced by troops from Germania, in AD 58 he took the offensive, and attacked
Tiridates, King of Armenia and brother of
Vologases I of Parthia.
Artaxata and
Tigranocerta were captured by his legions (
III Gallica,
VI Ferrata, and
X Fretensis), and
Tigranes, who had been brought up in Rome and was an obedient servant of the government, was installed as king of Armenia. In AD 61 Tigranes invaded
Adiabene, an integral portion of the
Parthian Kingdom, and a conflict between Rome and Parthia seemed unavoidable. Instead, Vologases thought it better to come to terms. It was agreed that both Roman and Parthian troops should evacuate Armenia, that Tigranes should be dethroned, and the rule of Tiridates recognized. The Roman government declined to accede to these arrangements, and
Lucius Caesennius Paetus, governor of
Cappadocia, was ordered to settle the question by bringing Armenia under direct Roman administration. The protection of
Syria claimed all of Corbulo's attention in the meantime. Paetus, a weak and incapable commander who "despised the fame acquired by Corbulo", suffered a severe defeat at
Rhandeia in AD 62, where he was surrounded and forced to capitulate to the Parthians and evacuated to Armenia. Command was again entrusted to Corbulo. In AD 63, with a strong army, he crossed the Euphrates. Tiridates declined to give battle and arranged
a peace treaty. At Rhandea he laid down his diadem at the foot of the emperor's statue, promising not to resume it until he received it from the hand of
Nero himself in Rome.
Fall and death After two failed plots by noblemen and senators to overthrow Nero, one involving Corbulo's son-in-law and senator
Lucius Annius Vinicianus, Nero became suspicious of Corbulo and his support among the Roman masses. In AD 67 disturbances broke out in
Judaea and Nero, ordering
Vespasian to take command of the Roman forces, summoned Corbulo, as well as two brothers who were the governors of Upper and Lower Germania, to Greece. On his arrival at Cenchreae, the port of Corinth, messengers from Nero met Corbulo and ordered him to commit suicide. Undaunted, he strode forward to accept his fate, and fell on his own sword after exclaiming,
"Axios!", meaning, “I have deserved it.” ==Works==