Perseus of Macedon

212 BCE – 166 BCE(lived 46 years)

Perseus (c. 212–166 BCE), son of Philip V, inherited Macedon in 179 BCE determined to restore its prestige. He courted Greek allies, married into regional dynasties, and seized tactical openings, winning an early success at Callinicus (171 BCE) in the Third Macedonian War. Yet Aemilius Paullus’s disciplined legions forced him from the Elpeus defenses and crushed his phalanx at Pydna (168 BCE), where rough ground broke the pike wall and Roman maniples flooded through. Captured soon after, Perseus ended the Antigonid line—and with it the last royal shield between Greece and Roman hegemony.

Biography

Perseus was born around 212 BCE into the embattled Antigonid house, a prince raised in a court defined by war and diplomacy. His father, Philip V, had lost the Second Macedonian War and endured Roman limits on Macedon’s reach. Court politics turned deadly when Perseus accused his brother Demetrius—popular with Romans—of treason; Demetrius’s execution in 180 BCE cleared Perseus’s path but embittered Philip, who died in 179 BCE. Perseus, now king, moved cautiously to rebuild Macedonian influence: he cultivated Thessalian support, sought understandings with Epirus and Illyrian rulers, and married Laodice, linking Macedon to the Seleucid world. His policy balanced pride with prudence, testing Rome’s appetite to intervene while avoiding overt provocations.

Key figure in Macedonian Wars

Perseus of Macedon's Timeline

Key events involving Perseus of Macedon in chronological order

-179

Death of Philip V; Perseus Succeeds in Macedon

In 179 BCE, Philip V died and Perseus took the Macedonian throne, inheriting both a chastened kingdom and Roman suspicion [14]. The diadem passed in Pella, but the judgment would be delivered in Thessaly and Pieria.

political

View Event Details

-171

Third Macedonian War Begins; Macedonian Success at Callinicus

In 171 BCE, Rome and Perseus went to war, and Macedon scored an early win at Callinicus [14]. The success echoed across Thessaly and Pieria, suggesting the phalanx could still hurt before Rome found the ground it wanted.

military

View Event Details

-168

Aemilius Paullus Elected and Given Macedonian Command

In 168 BCE, Rome chose Lucius Aemilius Paullus to command in Macedon. Plutarch says the people “at once voted him the conduct of the Macedonian war,” favoring competence over glamour [6]. The choice would matter most where stones lie loose and formations fray.

political

View Event Details

-168

Paullus Forces Perseus from the Elpeus Line

In 168 BCE, Paullus used feints and night maneuvers to pry Perseus off the Elpeus River defenses, steering him toward Pydna [6][10]. A strong line dissolved into a retreat once Roman boots appeared where Macedon did not expect them.

military

View Event Details

-168

Battle of Pydna

On 22 June 168 BCE near Pydna, Aemilius Paullus shattered Perseus’s phalanx. The uneven ground opened gaps; maniples punched in; some 20,000 Macedonians fell and 11,000 were taken [10][16]. The Antigonid dynasty collapsed with the crash of shields and the flight of a king [6].

military

View Event Details

-168

Perseus Captured; Antigonid Dynasty Ends

After Pydna in 168 BCE, Perseus fled and was captured, bringing the Antigonid royal line to an end [6][10]. A king who once paraded beneath blue Macedonian banners walked in chains behind scarlet Roman standards.

political

View Event Details

Total Events

-179

First Event

-168

Last Event

Ask About Perseus of Macedon

Have questions about Perseus of Macedon's life and role in Macedonian Wars? Get AI-powered insights based on their biography and involvement.