Cornelius Fuscus (died 86 AD) was a Roman general who served as Prefect of the Praetorian Guard from 81 to 86 AD under Emperor Domitian. He also led five legions against King Decebalus of Dacia during Domitian's Dacian War, and he was defeated and killed at the First Battle of Tapae in 86 AD.
Biography[]
Cornelius Fuscus was born to an aristocratic Roman family, but he renounced a career in the Roman Senate to live a quiet life as an eques. He was an early supporter of Galba during the Year of the Four Emperors in 68-69 AD, and he was rewarded with the procuratorship of Illyricum. When Vitellius seized power from Galba's successor Otho and Vespasian marched against Vitellius, Fuscus led Pannonia and Dalmatia in backing Vespasian, and he led Legio V Alaudae at the Second Battle of Bedriacum. Vespasian's son, the Roman emperor Domitian, appointed Fuscus to serve as Prefect of the Praetorian Guard in 81 AD; he was one of many equestrians whom Domitian appointed to powerful positions during his reign. In 85 AD, the Dacian king Decebalus raided into Moesia, leading to Domitian ordering Fuscus to lead five legions in a retaliatory invasion of Dacia. Fuscus drove the Dacians back across the border in mid-85 AD, but he was lured into an invasion of Dacia and was slain at the disastrous First Battle of Tapae.