Political Career
Cassius Dio says that Pomponius was consul seven years before the accession of Caligula; that is, circa A.D. 30; but his name does not appear in the consular fasti. He was one of the friends of Sejanus, who was consul in 31, and on the latter's fall in October of that year, Pomponius was thrown into prison, where he remained until 37. Caligula released him, and raised him to the consulship in A.D. 41.
In the time of Claudius, Pomponius was appointed the emperor's legatus in Germania. In A.D. 50, a group of Chatti invaded Germania Superior. Pomponius sent two columns against them, supported by cavalry. One group of raiders was surprised and entrapped, and the Roman troops discovered amongst them several survivors of the defeat of Varus, who had been pressed into slavery forty years earlier. The other column engaged the main body of the raiders, and inflicted heavy losses. Rather than attacking Pomponius' army, which now held the high ground, the Chatti sued for peace, and Pomponius received the honor of a triumph.
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