e emperor and ordered to withdraw behind
the Rhine. In order to provide employment for his soldiers, Corbulo made
them cut a canal from the Mosa (Meuse) to the northern branch of the
Rhine, which still forms one of the chief drains between Leiden and
Sluys, and before the introduction of railways was the ordinary traffic
road between Leiden and Rotterdam. Soon after the accession of Nero,
Vologaeses (Vologasus), king of Parthia, overran Armenia, drove out
Rhadamistus, who was under the protection of the Romans, and set his own
brother Tiridates on the throne. Corbulo was thereupon sent out to the
East with full military powers. After some delay, he took the offensive
in 58, and, reinforced by troops from Germany, attacked Tiridates.
Artaxata and Tigranocerta were captured, and Tigranes, who had been
brought up in Rome and was the obedient servant of the government, was
installed king of Armenia. In 61 Tigranes invaded Adiabene, an integral
portion of the Parthian kingdom, and a conflict between Rome and Parthia
seemed unavoidable. Vologaeses, however, thought it better to come to
terms. It was agreed that both the Roman and Parthian troops should
evacuate Armenia, that Tigranes should be dethroned, and the position of
Tiridates recognized. The Roman government declined to accede to these
arrangements, and L. Caesennius Paetus, governor of Cappadocia, was
ordered to settle the question by bringing Armenia under direct Roman
administration. The protection of Syria in the meantime claimed all
Corbulo's attention. Paetus, a weak and incapable man, suffered a severe
defeat at Rhandea (62), where he was surrounded and forced to capitulate
and to evacuate Armenia. The command of the troops was again entrusted
to Corbulo. In 63, with a strong army, he crossed the Euphrates, but
Tiridates declined to give battle and concluded peace. 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.
In 67 disturbances broke out in Judaea, but Nero, jealous of Corbulo's
success and popularity, ordered Vespasian to take command of the forces
and summoned Corbulo to Greece. On his arrival at Cenchreae, the port of
Corinth, messengers from Nero met Corbulo, and ordered him to commit
suicide. Without hesitation he obeyed, exclaiming, "I have deserved it."
Whether he had really given any grounds for suspicion is unknown; but
there is no doubt, so