Third Macedonic War

The Third Macedonian War (171 BC - 168 BC) was a war fought between Rome and King Perseus of Macedon. In 179 BC king Phillip V of Macedonia died and his talented and ambitious son, Perseus, took his throne. Perseus married Laodike, doughter of king Seleucus IV Keraunos of Asia, increased the number of his army and made alliance treaties with Epirus and several tribes of Illiria and Thrace. He renewed fomrer conections with some greek city-states (poleis). The king annouced that he could carry out reforms in Greece and restore its previous strenght and prosperity. Romans began to worry if Perseus wouldn' t destroy roman political order in Greece and restore former macedonian sovereignity over greek states. King Antioch III the Great of Asia over to his side but he failed. In 169 BC consul Qiuntus Marcius Phillipus crossed the Olimp mountains and entered macedonian terrytories. His army was to exhausted to fight. Finally, Perseus was defeated by the legions of the Roman consul Lucius Aemlius Paullus at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC. Perseus was deposed and with his dignitaries taken to Rome. Macedon was divided into four Roman client republics. The inhibitians of those republics had to pay a tax to Rome (not very heavy). Ecconomical and political contacts between macedonian and greek states were reduced. That was the end of hellenistic Macedonia and monarchy of Antygonid dynasty.

See also: Macedonian Wars