Rise of Rome Hellenistic period

eastern hemisphere @ end of 2nd century bc.

widespread roman interference in greek world inevitable given general manner of ascendency of roman republic. roman-greek interaction began consequence of greek city-states located along coast of southern italy. rome had come dominate italian peninsula, , desired submission of greek cities rule. although resisted, allying pyrrhus of epirus, , defeating romans @ several battles, greek cities unable maintain position , absorbed roman republic. shortly afterwards, rome became involved in sicily, fighting against carthaginians in first punic war. end result complete conquest of sicily, including powerful greek cities, romans.

roman entanglement in balkans began when illyrian piratical raids on roman merchants led invasions of illyria (the first and, second illyrian wars). tension between macedon , rome increased when young king of macedon, philip v, harbored 1 of chief pirates, demetrius of pharos (a former client of rome). result, in attempt reduce roman influence in balkans, philip allied himself carthage after hannibal had dealt romans massive defeat @ battle of cannae (216 bc) during second punic war. forcing romans fight on front when @ nadir of manpower gained philip lasting enmity of romans—the real result insubstantial first macedonian war (215–202 bc).

once second punic war had been resolved, , romans had begun regather strength, looked re-assert influence in balkans, , curb expansion of philip. pretext war provided philip s refusal end war attalid pergamum , rhodes, both roman allies. romans, allied aetolian league of greek city-states (which resented philip s power), declared war on macedon in 200 bc, starting second macedonian war. ended decisive roman victory @ battle of cynoscephalae (197 bc). roman peace treaties of period, resultant peace of flaminius designed utterly crush power of defeated party; massive indemnity levied, philip s fleet surrendered rome, , macedon returned ancient boundaries, losing influence on city-states of southern greece, , land in thrace , asia minor. result end of macedon major power in mediterranean.

as result of confusion in greece @ end of second macedonian war, seleucid empire became entangled romans. seleucid antiochus iii had allied philip v of macedon in 203 bc, agreeing should jointly conquer lands of boy-king of egypt, ptolemy v. after defeating ptolemy in fifth syrian war, antiochus concentrated on occupying ptolemaic possessions in asia minor. however, brought antiochus conflict rhodes , pergamum, 2 important roman allies, , began cold war between rome , antiochus (not helped presence of hannibal @ seleucid court). meanwhile, in mainland greece, aetolian league, had sided rome against macedon, grew resent roman presence in greece. presented antiochus iii pretext invade greece , liberate roman influence, starting roman-syrian war (192–188 bc). in 191 bc, romans under manius acilius glabrio routed him @ thermopylae , obliged him withdraw asia. during course of war roman troops moved asia first time, defeated antiochus again @ battle of magnesia (190 bc). crippling treaty imposed on antiochus, seleucid possessions in asia minor removed , given rhodes , pergamum, size of seleucid navy reduced, , massive war indemnity invoked.

perseus of macedon surrenders paullus. painting jean-françois pierre peyron 1802. museum of fine arts, budapest.

thus, in less twenty years, rome had destroyed power of 1 of successor states, crippled another, , firmly entrenched influence on greece. result of over-ambition of macedonian kings, , unintended provocation of rome, though rome quick exploit situation. in twenty years, macedonian kingdom no more. seeking re-assert macedonian power , greek independence, philip v s son perseus incurred wrath of romans, resulting in third macedonian war (171–168 bc). victorious, romans abolished macedonian kingdom, replacing 4 puppet republics; these lasted further twenty years before macedon formally annexed roman province (146 bc) after yet rebellion under andriscus. rome demanded achaean league, last stronghold of greek independence, dissolved. achaeans refused , declared war on rome. of greek cities rallied achaeans side, slaves freed fight greek independence. roman consul lucius mummius advanced macedonia , defeated greeks @ corinth, razed ground. in 146 bc, greek peninsula, though not islands, became roman protectorate. roman taxes imposed, except in athens , sparta, , cities had accept rule rome s local allies.

the attalid dynasty of pergamum lasted little longer; roman ally until end, final king attalus iii died in 133 bc without heir, , taking alliance natural conclusion, willed pergamum roman republic. final greek resistance came in 88 bc, when king mithridates of pontus rebelled against rome, captured roman held anatolia, , massacred 100,000 romans , roman allies across asia minor. many greek cities, including athens, overthrew roman puppet rulers , joined him in mithridatic wars. when driven out of greece roman general lucius cornelius sulla, latter laid siege athens , razed city. mithridates defeated gnaeus pompeius magnus (pompey great) in 65 bc. further ruin brought greece roman civil wars, partly fought in greece. finally, in 27 bc, augustus directly annexed greece new roman empire province of achaea. struggles rome had left greece depopulated , demoralised. nevertheless, roman rule @ least brought end warfare, , cities such athens, corinth, thessaloniki , patras recovered prosperity.

contrarily, having firmly entrenched greek affairs, romans ignored rapidly disintegrating seleucid empire (perhaps because posed no threat); , left ptolemaic kingdom decline quietly, while acting protector of sorts, in as stop other powers taking egypt on (including famous line-in-the-sand incident when seleucid antiochus iv epiphanes tried invade egypt). eventually, instability in near east resulting power vacuum left collapse of seleucid empire caused roman proconsul pompey great abolish seleucid rump state, absorbing of syria roman republic. famously, end of ptolemaic egypt came final act in republican civil war between roman triumvirs mark anthony , augustus caesar. after defeat of anthony , lover, last ptolemaic monarch, cleopatra vii, @ battle of actium, augustus invaded egypt , took own personal fiefdom. thereby completed both destruction of hellenistic kingdoms , roman republic, , ended (in hindsight) hellenistic era.