Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)

The Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC) was a war fought between the Roman Republic and King Perseus of Macedon. In 179 BC King Philip V of Macedon died and was succeeded by his ambitious son Perseus. He was anti-Roman and stirred anti-Roman feelings around Macedonia. He was suspected of preparing for war against Rome by the Romans and their most important ally in the east, Eumenes II of Pergamon. Tensions escalated and Rome declared war on Macedon. The RomansThe Roman Republic was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establishment of the Roman Empire, Rome's control rapidly expanded during this period - from the city's immediate surroundings to hegemony over the entire Mediterranean world.Romans marched with newly recruited and quite inexperienced troops from Epirus, on the west coast, to Thessaly through difficult mountain passes. It is likely that the priority of the Roman commander was to establish a solid foothold in Thessaly.

In the winter of first year Perseus conducted a brief campaign in Illyria. In the spring he tried to provoke the Romans into fights in Thessaly (the Greek state where the Roman troops were stationed), near the border of Macedon. A pitched battle, the Battle of Callicinus, was fought. It was inconclusive, but was considered a Macedonian victory because the Romans suffered greater casualties. After this it seems that the Romans concentrated on harvesting grain to feed their troops. Perseus carried out some attacks which did not amount to more than skirmishes.

In the second year of the war, the consul Aulus Hostilius Mancinus was an ineffective commander. He tried repeatedly to force his way through the south-western border of Macedon without success. Perseus anticipated all his moves. He was also defeated in battle. The ancient Roman historian Livy found this campaign of this year so uneventful that he did not report any details.

In the Third year the consul Quintus Marcius Philippus undertook a heroic passage through almost impassable passes of the mountains of the Olympus range and reached south-western Macedon. Perseus panicked and evacuated the area on the other side of these mountains. This enabled the Romans to fight the campaign of the next year in Macedon.

In the fourth year Perseus fortified the River Elpeus to prevent a Roman advance. The consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus ordered a successful enveloping operation. Perseus withdrew near the city of Pydna. Aemilius won the Battle of Pydna which made the Romans victorious in this war. After this there were mopping-up operations and a pursuit of the fugitive Perseus. There was also a brief war against Gentius, the king of Illyria, who had been cajoled into provoking a war with Rome in Illyria by Perseus. On the way back to Rome Aemilius went to Epirus. The senate allowed his army to plunder Epirus because it had switched sides and gone over to Perseus; 150,000 Epirots were enslaved. For his success in Macedon, Lucius Aemilius Paulus was given the agnomen of Macedonicus (winner in Macedon).

Most of the war was fought in Thessaly (which bordered with Macedon), where the Roman troops were stationed, and in Macedon. Other Greek states were involved to various degrees in this war. Epirus, which was on the west coast of Greece. The Aeotolians, who lived on the part of the western portion of the northern coast of the Gulf of Corinth, which separates Greece and the peninsula of the Peloponnese. Boeotia, which is on the western part of the northern coast of the Gulf of Corinth and a short stretch of the coast of on the Gulf of Euboea which separates the island of Euboea from the eastern coast of the mainland. Achaea, which was in the northern and central part of the Peloponnese and whose city-states formed the Achaean League. Athamanians, which was a small kingdom in central Greece between Epirus and Thessaly.

Outline of the Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)

Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)

The Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC) was a war fought between the Roman Republic and King Perseus of Macedon. In 179 BC King Philip V of Macedon died and was succeeded by his ambitious son Perseus. He was anti-Roman and stirred anti-Roman feelings around Macedonia. View Historic Battle »

Background: The Romans felt that it was clear that he was making preparations for war and that it would not be long before he would take up arms.

Preparations for war and diplomatic missions: Two legions were assigned for Macedon and the number of men for each was be 6,000 instead of the usual 5,200. The troops of Italian allies were 16,000 infantry and 800 cavalry.

First year of the war (171 BC): Meanwhile, Publius Licinius had marched from Epirus on the west coast of Greece through arduous mountain passes and through Athamania, a kingdom allied with Perseus.

Second year of the war (170 BC): The people of Coronea put themselves under the protection of the Roman senate, which decreed the restoring to freedom of the captives.

Third year of the war (169 BC): The Macedonian War was assigned to Quintus Marcius and the command of the fleet to the praetor Quintus Marcius Figulus. The troops allocated for Greece were 6,000 Roman infantry, 6,000 Latin infantry, 250 Roman cavalry and 300 allied cavalry there.

Fourth year of the war (168 BC): They reported that the Romans had advanced towards Macedon, but the travel on the pathless mountains had resulted in more peril than profit. Perseus was still holding his country and the two forces were very close to each other.

Aftermath: The Romans also used their victory to increase their control over the whole of Greece by supporting the pro-Roman factions around Greece. Their supporters had come to the conference from all over Greece.

The enslavement of 150,000 Epirots: After the defeat of the Illyrian king, Lucius Anicius, the commander in Illyria, paced garrisons in the Illyrian cities. Then he marched on Epirus with the rest of his army to suppress the rebellion there.

First Macedonian War (214–205 BC)

Was fought by Rome, allied (after 211 BC) with the Aetolian League and Attalus I of Pergamon, against Philip V of Macedon, contemporaneously with the Second Punic War (218–201 BC) against Carthage. View First Macedonian War (214–205 BC) »

Second Macedonian War (200–197 BC)

Fought between Macedon, led by Philip V of Macedon, and Rome, allied with Pergamon and Rhodes. The result was the defeat of Philip who was forced to abandon all his possessions in southern Greece, Thrace and Asia Minor. View Second Macedonian War (200–197 BC) »

Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)

In 179 BC King Philip V of Macedon died and was succeeded by his ambitious son Perseus. He was anti-Roman and stirred anti-Roman feelings around Macedonia. He was suspected of preparing for war against Rome by the Romans and their most important ally in the east, Eumenes II of Pergamon. View Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC) »

Fourth Macedonian War (150-148 BC)

The Fourth Macedonian War (150 BC to 148 BC) was fought between the Roman Republic and a Greek uprising led by the Macedonian pretender to the throne Andriscus. Pretending to be the son of former king Perseus, who had been deposed by the Romans after the Third Macedonian War in 168 BC, Andriscus sought to re-establish the old Macedonian Kingdom. View Fourth Macedonian War (150-148 BC) »

HISTORY

Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)

The Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC) was a war fought between the Roman Republic and King Perseus of Macedon. In 179 BC King Philip V of Macedon died and was succeeded by his ambitious son Perseus. He was anti-Roman and stirred anti-Roman feelings around Macedonia.

Ancient Greek marble relief c. 330 BC depicting a soldier in combat, holding his weapon above his head as he prepares to strike a fallen enemy; the relief may have been part of an official Athenian state memorial; from the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek collection.

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The history of the world describes the history of humanity as determined by the study of archaeological and written records. Ancient recorded history begins with the invention of writing. However, the roots of civilization reach back to the earliest introduction of primitive technology and culture.

Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC)