CN. DOMITIUS CORBULO AND THE PARTHIAN WAR





Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae #9108 [Smallwood #51a]:

[LEGIO VI F]ERRATA QUAE [HIBERNAV]IT IN ARMENIA [MAIORE SV]B CN DOMITIO [CORBULON]E LEG [NERONIS CAESARI]S AVG PRO PR [ - - - -] P. F. SCA. ASPRO [PRIMOPIL]O HONOR CAVS. [a fragmentary Greek version follows]
"Legio VI Ferrata, which has its winter quarters in Armenia Major, under Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, Legatus Augusti pro praetore of Nero Caesar Augustus [ - - - - ] (erected this) for [ - - ] Asper, son of Publius, Tribe Scaptia, as an honor."

Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae #232 [Smallwood #51b] (A.D. 64/5):

NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP PONT MAX TRIB POT XI COS IIII IMP VIIII PAT P CN DOMITIO CORBVLONE LEG AVG PRO PR T AVRELIO FVLVO LEG AVG LEG III GAL
"Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Imperator, Pontifex Maximus, in his 11th year of Tribunician Power, Consul four times, Imperator nine times, Father of His Country. By Cnaeus Domitius Corbulo, Legatus Augusti pro praetore and Titus Aurelius Fulvus, Legate of Augustus of Legio III Gallica."

Tacitus Annales 13. 8 (A.D. 54/55):

"The armies in the East were so divided up that half of the auxiliaries and two legions were to remain in the Province of Syria under its governor Ummidius Quadratus, while Corbulo was to have an equal number of citizens and allies [par civium sociorumque numerus], to which were attached the cohorts and alae which were wintering in Cappadocia. The allied kings were instructed to obey orders, as the circumstances of the war might require; but they had a rather strong liking for Corbulo anyway"

Ummidius: Legio IV Scythica, Legio XII Fulminata
Corbulo: Legio III Gallica, Legio V Macedonica, Legio VI Ferrata, Legio XV Apollinaris



Tacitus Annales 15. 26 (A.D. 63):

"Corbulo meanwhile transferred to Syria the Fourth Legion and the Twelfth Legion, which, from the loss of their bravest men and the panic of the remainder, seemed quite unfit for battle, and led from there into Armenia the Third Legion and the Sixth Legion, troops in thorough efficiency and trained by frequent and successful service. And he added to his army the Fifth Legion, which (having been quartered in Pontus) had known nothing of disaster; and at the same time the Fifteenth, recently moved up; and detachments of picked troops from Illyricum and from Egypt; and all the alae and cohorts he had; and the auxilia of the kings assembled together at Melitene, which was the point at which he intended to cross the Euphrates."

Legio III Gallica
Legio IV Scythica
Legio V Macedonica
Legio VI Ferrata
Legio XII Fulminata
Legio XV Apollinaris


Frontinus, Strategemata 4. 2.3:

Domitius Corbulo duabus legionibus et paucissimis auxiliis disciplina correcta Parthos sustinuit.
"Having restored their discipline, Domitius Corbulo held back the Parthians with two legions and a very few auxilia."

 

 

May 23, 2009 9:27 AM

John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu

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