Although Philip had aided the Romans in their campaign against
Antiochus, he did not receive from them the expected reward in additions
to his territory. Immediate resistance would be futile; but he labored
patiently and quietly to increase his resources, and to stir up among
the neighboring Greeks hostile feeling towards Rome. He placed his army
on the best footing possible, and soon began to enlarge his boundaries.
Complaints were made to Rome, and the king was compelled to give up his
conquests, and confine himself to the limits of Macedonia. In 179 Philip
died, and was succeeded by his son PERSEUS.
The new king was as able as his father, and more impatient of
subjection. He made friends with the surrounding princes, formed a
marriage connection with Antiochus IV. of Syria, and strove to arouse
among the Greeks memories of their former greatness.
The Senate, hearing of his numerous intrigues, determined to check him.
War was declared in 171; but the forces sent by Rome were at first led
by incompetent men, and nothing was accomplished until LICIUS AEMILIUS
PAULLUS was made Consul, and took charge of the war in 168.
Paullus (229-160) was the son of the Consul of the same name who was
killed at Cannae. His integrity was first shown when, as CURULE AEDILE,
(Footnote: See page 225) in 192, he prosecuted persons who had made an
illegal use of the public pastures. He was sent to Ulterior Spain in 191
as governor, where, after some reverses, he put down all insurrections.
He was Consul in 182, and did good work in conquering a tribe of
marauders in Liguria. For this he was allowed a triumph.
He was elected Consul a second time in 168, and sent against Perseus.
The war was brought to a speedy end by the battle of PYDNA, on the
Thermaic Gulf, June 22. The king fled to Samothrace with his treasures
and family. He was shortly afterwards captured, but was treated with
kindness by the Consul.
Paullus now travelled through Greece. Later, assisted by commissioners,
he arranged the affairs of Macedonia. The country was divided into
four small republics, independent of each other, but prohibited from
intermarriage and commerce with one another.
On his return to Rome in 167, he enjoyed a triumph, which was graced
by Perseus and his three children. He was Censor in 164, and died four
years later.
Paullus had two sons by his first wife. The elder of these was adopted
by Fabius Maximus Cunctator, the younger by the son of Africanus the
elder, his brother-in-law. He was of the "blue" blood of Rome, of
perfect honesty, and very popular, a good general, but somewhat
superstitious. A patron of learning and the fine arts, he gave his sons
the best training under Greek masters. A strong proof of his popularity
is the fact that his body was carried to its last resting place by
volunteers from the various peoples he had conquered.
Perseus spent his last days in confinement near Rome, enduring, it is
alleged, base and cruel treatment. He was the last king of Macedonia.
After the victory at Pydna, the sympathy shown in Greece for the
conquered monarch made the Romans more watchful of her interests there.
All suspected to be enemies were removed as hostages to Italy, and among
these was the historian POLYBIUS. He lived in Rome for more than twenty
years, and became a great friend of the younger Africanus, whom he
accompanied to the siege of Carthage.
Like Macedonia, Greece was separated into parts, independent of
each other, with no rights of _connubium_ or _commercium_. Utter
demoralization soon ensued, which proved a sure preventive to all
alliances liable to shake the authority of Rome.
Trouble again arose in Macedonia twenty years after Pydna, culminating
in what is sometimes called the FOURTH MACEDONIAN WAR (149-146). Under
the leadership of ANDRISCUS, who claimed to be a son of Perseus, the
people rebelled against the protection of Rome. They were twice defeated
in 148 by the praetor QUINTUS CAECILIUS METELLUS, who gained the agnomen
of MACEDONICUS. The country was made a Roman province, with a Roman
magistrate at its head.
At this time the Achaeans were quarrelling with Sparta. Metellus warned
them to desist, and when the Achaeans advanced against him, he easily
defeated them near SCARPHEIA.
Metellus was a moderate reformer and a model man. He belonged to an
illustrious plebeian _gens_, the Caecilian. Before his death in 115
three of his sons had been consuls, one censor, and the fourth was a
candidate for the consulship.
Metellus was succeeded in Greece by LUCIUS MUMMIUS, a cruel and harsh
leader. The remnant of the Achaean army had taken refuge in CORINTH.
The Senate directed Mummius to attack the city. Its capture in 146
was marked by special cruelties. The city was burned to the ground;
beautiful pictures and costly statuary were ruthlessly destroyed. Gold
in abundance was carried to Rome. The last vestige of Greek liberty
vanished. The country became a Roman province under the name of ACHAIA.
Corinth, the "eye of all Greece," remained in ruins for a century, when
it was rebuilt in 46 by Julius Caesar, who planted on its site a colony
of veterans and freedmen.