Third Macedonian War
| Third Macedonian War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Macedonian Wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Roman Republic Attalid kingdom Thessalian League Achaean contingents Thesprotians Chaonians Aetolian contingents Contingents from other Greek allies Illyrian Kingdom (up until 169 BC) |
Macedonia Odrysian kingdom Molossians (from 170 BC) Athamania Cretan contingents Aetolian contingents Contingents from other Greek allies Illyrian Kingdom (since 169 BC) | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Publius Licinius Crassus (171 BC) Aulus Hostilius Mancinus (170 BC) Quintus Marcius Philippus (169 BC) Lucius Aemilius Paullus (168 BC) Eumenes II of Pergamon |
Perseus of Macedon Cotys IV of the Odrysian Kingdom (Thrace) Euander Archedemus of Aetolia Gentius | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | 150,000 Molossians enslaved | ||||||||
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. In 172 BC, a Roman commission visited Perseus and required of him concessions which meant the extinction of his independence. Upon his refusal to comply with the demands they returned home and Rome declared war.
Most of the war was fought in Macedon as well as neighbouring Thessaly, where the Roman troops were stationed. After an inconclusive battle at Callinicus in 171 BC, and several years of campaigning, Rome decisively defeated the Macedonian forces at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC, ending the war.
Rome's victory ended the Antigonid dynasty and brought an effective end to the independence of the Hellenistic kingdom of Macedon, although formal annexation was some years away. The kingdom was divided into four client republics, called merides, with capitals located at Amphipolis, Thessalonica, Pella, and Pelagonia, which were members of a federal league, the League of the Macedonians. Roman prestige and authority in Greece greatly increased.