Advisory Committee Chair
Walter Ward
Advisory Committee Members
Brian Steele
Jonathan Wiesen
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2023
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
This thesis will argue that Corbulo’s campaigns in Armenia and the subsequent Peace of Rhandeia were reflective of a longstanding foreign policy which had been adopted in the aftermath of the ambush at Teutoburg Forest and continued under Augustus’ successors. Nearly every aspect of the campaign, from the composition of the army, to the strategy employed by Corbulo, was an expression of the post-Augustan shift from expansion to defense. In place of conquest, the maintenance of prestige and the projection of power became the primary objectives of the Roman emperors, including Nero. The war in Armenia was fought to maintain Roman influence in Armenia without upsetting the broader balance of power between Rome and their principal geopolitical rival in the region, Parthia.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Henry, "Nero's Eastern Policy and the Peace of Rhandeia" (2023). All ETDs from UAB. 88.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/88