The Hellenistic World and the Coming of Rome

1
The Hellenistic World and the Coming of Rome

• Rome enters the Greek East

2
Alexanders Legacy The Hellenistic World

• Antigonid Macedonia
• Seleucid Syria
• Ptolemaic Egypt
• Lesser Kingdoms and Independent States Pergamum,
  Rhodes, Bithynia, Bactria
  
• Wild Cards in Greece Achaean and Aetolian
  Confederations

3
Romes First Step into the Greek World The First
Illyrian War (229-228 BCE)

• Illyrian Aggression against Italian maritime
  trade (Agron and Teuta)
  
• The Roman commission of the Coruncanii
• The Campaign of Spring 229 (20,000 infantry and
  2,000 cavalry)
  
• Treaty with Queen Teuta (Polybius 2.12)
• Indemnity (unspecified)
• Evacuate large portions of Illyria
• Forbidden to sail beyond Lissus with more than
  two galleys

4
The Adriatic and the Straits of Otranto
5
Polybius Assessment (Histories 2.12)

• When the treaty with Queen Teuta had been
  concluded, Postumius sent envoys to the Aetolian
  and Achaean Leagues. On their arrival these
  officers first explained the reasons which had
  led to the war and caused the Romans to cross the
  Adriatic, next they gave a report of what had
  been accomplished in the campaign, and lastly
  they read out the treaty which they had made with
  the Illyrians. The envoys were received with
  courtesy by both the leagues, after which they
  returned by sea to Corcyra. The conclusion of
  this treaty had delivered the Greeks from a fear
  which had hung over them all, for the Illyrians
  were not merely the opponents of this people or
  that, but the common enemies of all alike.

6
Rome and Macedonia

• Philip V and Hannibal, the pact of 215 BCE
• The First Macedonian War (214-205 BCE), minimal
  Roman effort (Peace of Phoenice)
  
• Treaty with Aetolians (212/211 BCE)
• The Second Macedonian War (200-196 BCE)
• Rhodes and Pergamum complain of Philips
  aggression in eastern Mediterranean (alliance
  with Seleucid Syria against weakened Ptolemies,
  203-202)
• Cynoscephalae (197) demonstrates superiority of
  manipular formation over phalanx
  
• Flamininus Isthmian Proclamation, 196 BCE (Greek
  Freedom)

7
Carthaginian-Macedonian Alliance 215 BCE

• And you will render assistance to us in the war
  in which we are engaged with the Romans until the
  gods vouchsafe the victory to us and to you, and
  you will give us such help as we have need of or
  as we agree upon.
• Polybius, Histories, 7.9

8
Macedonia and Greece
9
The Antiochene War192-189 BCE

• Antiochus III the Great, King of Seleucid Syria
• Spear-Won Empire
• The Eastern Campaign
• Disgruntled Aetolians and the Treaty of
  Laevinus (212/211 BCE)
  
• The Battle at Magnesia
• Scipios command Roman forces

10
The Laevinus Treaty, 212/211 BCE

• If any cities of those enemy nations are
  seized by force by the Romans, as far as the
  Roman people are concerned the Aetolian people
  may take possession of those cities and those
  territories whatever movable property the
  Romans capture the Romans shall possess. If any
  of those cities are captured by the Romans and
  the Aetolians jointly, as far as the Roman people
  are concerned the Aetolians may take possession
  of those cities and their territories whatever
  they jointly capture besides the city, they
  shall share it equally. If any of those cities
  capitulates or surrenders without resistance to
  the Romans or the Aetolians, as far as the Roman
  people are concerned those men and cities and
  their territories may be admitted by the
  Aetolians into their league.
• Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum, XIII, no. 382

11
The Third Macedonian War172-167 BCE

• King Perseus of Macedonia, son of Philip V
• Addresses socio-economic problems in Greece,
  including debt relief
  
• Eumenes II of Pergamum stirs up Roman suspicions
  against Perseus
  
• Roman propaganda represents Perseus as a social
  revolutionary
  
• The Battle at Pydna, 168 BCE
• The 1,000 hostages (Polybius)
• The Four Independent Macedonian Republics

12
RomeGreecePatronClient

• Flamininus Isthmian Proclamation (196 BCE)Catch
  22?
  
• Classic Misunderstandings Rome and Aetolia (The
  Macedonian-Aetolian Peace Treaty of 206 Glabrio,
  Phaneas, deditio, and chains)
  
• Rhodes and Pergamum as Arbiters
• Rhodes and the free port at Delos
• Romans foster internal discord at Pergamum
• Antiochus IV Epiphanes and The Day of Eleusis
  in 168 (Polyb. 29.27.1-9)
  
• Andriscus and the Macedonian Revolt, 149 BCE
• Achaean War, Roman sacking of Corinth, 146 BCE
• The Third Punic War, Sack of Carthage in 146 BCE

13
Flamininus Isthmian Proclamation196 BCE

• The Roman Senate and Titus Quinctius their
  general, having conquered King Philip and the
  Macedonians, decree that the Corinthians, the
  Phocians, all the Locrians, the island of Euboea,
  the Magnesians, the Thessalians, the
  Perrhaebians, and the Acheans of Phthiotis shall
  be free, exempt from all tribute, and subject to
  their own laws. This list comprised all the
  states which had been subject to Philip.When
  the herald had finished his proclamation the
  feeling of joy was too great for men to take it
  all in.Then they realized that the joyful news
  was true, and from the storm of applause and
  repeated cheers that arose it was perfectly
  evident that none of lifes blessings is dearer
  to the masses than liberty. Livy,
  33.32.5-10

14
C. Popillius Laenas, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and
The Day of Eleusis, 168 BCE

• At the time when Antiochus approached Ptolemy
  and meant to occupy Pelusium, Caius Popillius
  Laenas, the Roman commander, on Antiochus
  greeting him from a distance and then holding out
  his hand, handed to the kingthe copy of the
  senatorial decree, and told him to read it
  firstBut when the kingsaid he would like to
  communicate with his friendsPopillius acted in a
  manner which was thought to be offensive and
  exceedingly arrogant. He was carrying a stick cut
  from a vine, and with this he drew a circle round
  Antiochus and told him he must remain inside this
  circle until he gave his decisionThe king was
  astonished at this authoritative proceeding, but,
  after a few minutes hesitation, said he would do
  all that the Romans demanded.
• Polybius, 29.27.1-6

15
An Enlarged Roman World