Wars in the East II

Syrian War (192-188)

• Antiochus III
  • Restores Seleucid power in Iran, Asia Minor
  • Attalids threatened
• Aetolians mad at Romans
  • Call in Antiochus
• L. Scipio elected cos. for 190
  • Brother of Scipio Africanus, who was expected to be real commander
• Magnesia ad Sipylum (189)
  • Homogenous Roman army proves superior to large, ungainly Seleucid forces
• Seleucids to abandon Asia Minor
• Romans give territory to Greek allies in Asia Minor
  • Roman motive for war plunder, not territorial gain
• Romans now dominant power in Near East
  • Irresponsible
  • Hostile to potential enemies
  • Create power vacuum

Third Macedonian War (171-168)

• Romans keen to get rid of Perses, son of Philip V
• First commanders inept
  • Interested mainly in plunder
  • Even attack Roman allies
  • Some convicted in Rome
    • Malfeasance tolerated as long as victory is also delivered
• L. Aemilius Paullus cos. 182
  • Reelected consul for 168 as competent general
  • Restores order to Roman army
  • Wipes out Perses at Pydna (168)
  • Very greedy
    • Treacherously enslaves Epirus in 167
    • Even troops feeling ripped off
• Macedonian kingdom abolished
  • Replaced with four unnatural republics
    • These to defend Greece against threats from north
    • Royal mines closed down
      • Too troublesome to exploit
      • Romans prefer no money to administrative responsibilities
    • Romans still avoid administration/responsibility for order
• War nearly declared on Rhodes
  • Old ally threatened to give magistrates source of plunder
  • Cato the Elder gives speech against war
    • Early surviving speech
    • Argues that Romans are growing too powerful
  • War avoided but economy of island ruined
    • Power vacuum leads to rise of piracy