Page:Political History of Parthia.pdf/230

184 In the spring of 59 Corbulo turned southward and, passing by the borders of the country of the Mardi and through that of the Tauraunites, drew near Tigranocerta. In the course of this march the army suffered more from hardships than from attacks by the Armenians, but two strongholds which resisted were reduced, one by storm, the other by siege. Ambassadors from Tigranocerta approached to present a gold crown to Corbulo and inform him that the city was prepared to surrender. But when the army arrived before the city the gates seem to have been closed. To discourage a lengthy defense Corbulo executed an Armenian noble whom he had captured and shot his head into the city. It fell into the midst of a council of war—a fact which hastened the surrender of the city without further resistance.

At a fort named Legerda Corbulo met with strong resistance, and it had to be taken by storm. Corbulo evidently wintered at Tigranocerta.

About this time the Hyrcanian ambassadors who