Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo

Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo (approximately year 7 - 67) was a Roman general.

Corbulo was born in Italy, in a family of senators. His/her father was his homonym and his/her mother was a Vistilia. The elder one of Corbulo entered to the senate like Préteur under the reign of Tibère. The beginnings of the career of Corbulo are unknown but it was Consul under Caligula in the year 40. The emperor was his brother-in-law because he was married with Milonia Caesonia, half-sister of Corbulo.

After the assassination of Caligula, its career was stopped until the year 47 when the emperor Claude did it ordering armies of the lower Germanie whose camp was based in the modern Cologne. This mission was perilous because Corbulo dealt with major rebellions and violent demonstrations of the Germanic tribes Chérusques and Chauques. During his mission into Germanic, the general ordered the construction of a channel between the rivers of the the Rhine and the Meuse. Part of this work of art known under the name of “ Fossa Corbulonis ” or channel of Corbulo was found at the time of archaeological excavations. Its advance skirts the channel “Vliet” which will be built a few centuries later.

Corbulo went back to Rome until the year 52, date on which it was named governor of the Asian province. After the death of Claude in the year 54, the new emperor Néron sent it in the provinces of the east in order to regulate the problem of the Arménie. After certain times, it passed to the offensive in 58. Reinforced by troops coming from Germanic. It attacked Tiridate, king d' Arménie and brother of Vologèse Ier, king de Parthie. Artaxata and Tigranocerte fell to the hands from its legions: III Gallica, VI Ferrata and X Fretensis. Tigrane, supported by Rome and trusty servant of gouverment, was crowned king d' Arménie.

In the year 61, Tigrane invades the Adiabène, an important area of the kingdom of Parthie. The conflict between Rome and Parthie seemed inevitable. Vologèse Ier thought that it was preferable to put a term at this conflict. It was agreed that the two parts - Roman troops and parthes - were to evacuate Arménie, that Tigrane was to be détroné and the statute of recognized Tiridate. But the government of Rome refused these arrangements. Lucius Caesennius Paetus, governor of Cappadoce, accepted the order to settle the question while bringing back the arménie under direct administration of Rome.

During this time, the protection of the Syria claimed all the attention of Corbulo. Paetus, a weak and unable man, was indicated but it undergoes a demolished cuisante with Rhandeia in the year 62: it was surrounded and forced to capitulate and leave Arménie. The command of the troops was again entrusted to Corbulo. In the year 63, with the head of a powerful army, he cross-pieces the Euphrate but Tiridate refused to fight battle and negotiated a peace. In Rhandeia, it deposited its crown with the feet of the statue of the emperor, promising not to take it again until it receives it with the hands of Néron itself in Rome.

In the year 67, revolts rose in Judaea (renamed Palestine by the Roman winners) but Néron, jealous of the success and the popularity of Corbulo, ordered with Vespasien to take the command of the Roman forces and called Corbulo in Greece. On its arrival with Cenchreae, wearing of Corinth, the messengers of Néron met Corbulo and ordered to him to commit suicide. Order which he obeys.

Corbulo wrote a book (lost to date) on its life in Asia.

Corbulo was married in Cassia Longina and was the father of Domitia Longina, woman of the emperor Domitien.

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