The Battle of Pydna in June 168 BCE was a decisive Roman victory that ended the Third Macedonian War and established Rome as the dominant power in the Mediterranean. The Roman Republic was expanding, enlarging its sphere of influence along the Adriatic, so when several of the southern Greek city-states appealed to them to ward off the advances of Philip V of Macedon, they entered into the fray, commencing a series of what became known to history as the Macedonian Wars. In June of 168 BCE, the Roman general Lucius Aemilius Paullus entered into battle against Philip's successor and son Perseus near Pydna, a city in northeastern Greece. The resulting fight would spell the end of an empire established by Philip II and his son Alexander the Great.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_Pydna/.
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- Why do you think the Roman legion beat the Macedonian phalanx at Pydna?
- Do you think Perseus made the right choice by fighting Rome instead of avoiding battle?
- Was Rome’s victory at Pydna more about better tactics or better leadership?
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