Corbulo and Tiridates

[Bukranion]

Does anyone know the exact or approximate date that Corbulo and Tiridates of Armenia met face to face to settle the Parthian War? I expect it was in AD 64 or 65. This is the meeting at which Tiridates gave up his crown with the understanding that it would be restored to him by Nero in person in Rome.

Thanks

[M. Caecilius]

Based on Tacitus' Annals, it was the consulate of Memmius Regulus and Verginius Rufus, so AD 63 (Tac. Ann. XV.23). He clearly mentions the peace conference before the next consulate, that of C. Laecianus and M. Licinius at Tac. Ann. XV.35.

However, Cassius Dio mentions the conference of Rhandea at LXII.23: He writes that the news of "another victory" in Armenian at the time of the Great Fire, but does not clarify which victory: the next passage begins with the fall of Artaxata and ends, without any direct reference to the previous news, with the Conference at Rhandea.

The Great Fire occurred in late July AD 64, and assuming the Cursus Publicus did not spent six months and more to deliver a message of this importance to Rome, the Conference would thus have happened in 64 AD at the earliest according to Dio. .

Suetonius (Nero, 13) describes the arrival of Tiridates at Rome, unfortunately without a date. He does mention that the original proclamation had to be cancelled because of bad weather, which is no help, and seem to have happened a few years afterwards.

I severly doubt the Cursus would have taken several months to deliver the message, as the exchange of letters we have from Cicero and Pliny suggests much greater speed, so Tacitus and Cassius Dio are in conflict; Tacitus' annalistic structure seems to be better suited for dates, but he may also have chosen to lump the war together - although he doesn't do that elsewhere that I know. Overall, I'd trust Tacitus over Dio, and go with 63 AD, but both may have to be taken into consideration.

Best,
Max