for his phalanx; but, the consul did not wait its coming up, and came directly to blows. The Macedonians, after having made a very vigorous resistance, for some time, were at last broke, and put to the rout. Three hundred foot were left upon the place, with twenty four of the best horse, of the troop called the sacred squadron, of which the commander himself, Antimachus, was killed.

The success of this action reanimated the Romans, and very much alarmed Perseus. After having put a strong garrison into Gonna, he marched back his army into Macedonia.

The consul, having reduced Perrhebia, and taken Larissa, and some other cities, dismissed all the allies, except the Acheans; dispersed his troops in Thessaly, where he left them in winter quarters; and went into Beotia, at the request of the Thebans, upon whom the people of Coronea had made incursions.

SECTION III.

MARCIUS ENTERS

MACEDONIA. PERSEUS TAKES THE ALARM; BUT AFTERWARDS RESUMES COURAGE.

"NOTHING memorable passed the following year. The consul Hostilius had sent Ap. Claudius into Illyria, with four thousand foot, to defend such of the inhabitants of that country, as were allies of the Romans; and, the latter had found means to add eight thousand men, raised among the allies, to his first body of troops. He encamped at Lychnidus, a city of the

A. M. 3834. Ant. J. C. 170. Liv. 1. xliii. n, 9, 10.

Dassaretæ. Near that place was another city, called Uscana, which belonged to Perseus, and where he had a great garrison. Claudius, upon the promise which had been made him of having the place put into his hands, in hopes of making great booty, approached it with almost all his troops, without any order, distrust, or precaution. Whilst he thought least of it, the gar rison made a furious sally upon him, put his whole army to flight, and pursued them a great way with dreadful slaughter. Of eleven thousand men, scarce two thousand escaped into the camp, which one thousand had been left to guard. Claudius returned to Lychnidus with the ruins of his army. The news of this loss very much afflicted the senate, and the more, because it had been occasioned by the imprudence and avarice of Claudius.

'This was the almost universal disease of the commanders at that time. The senate received various complaints from many cities, as well of Greece as the other provinces, against the Roman officers, who treated them with unheard of rapaciousness and cruelty. They punished some of them, redressed the wrongs they had done the cities, and dismissed the ambassadors, well satisfied with the manner in which their remonstrances had been received. Soon after, to prevent such disorders for the future, they passed a deeree, which expressed, that the cities should not furnish the Roman magistrates with any thing more than what the senate expressly appointed; which ordinance was published in all the cities of Peloponnesus,

C. Popilius, and Cn. Octavius, who were charged with this commission, went first to Thebes, where they very much praised the citizens, and exhorted them to continue firm in their alliance with the Roman people. Proceeding afterwards to the other cities of Peloponnesus, they boasted every where of the lenity and moderation of the senate, which they proved by their late decree in favour of the Greeks. They found great divisions in almost all the cities, especially among the Etolians, occasioned by two factions, which divided them, one for the Romans, and the other for the Macedonians. The assembly of Achaia was not exempt from these divisions; but, the wisdom of the persons of greatest authority, prevented their consequences. The advice of Archon, one of the principal persons of the league, was, to act according to conjunctures, to leave no room for calumny to irritate either of the contending powers against the republic; and, to avoid the misfortunes into which those were fallen, who had not sufficiently comprehended the power of the Romans. This advice prevailed; and, it was resolved, that Archon should be made chief magistrate, and Polybius captain general of the horse.

About this time, Attalus, having something to demand of the Achean league, caused the new magistrate to be sounded; who, determined in favour of the Romans and their allies, promised that prince to support his suit, with all his power. The affair in question was, to have a decree reversed, by which it was ordained, that all the statues of king Eumenes should be removed from the public places. At the first

council that was held, the ambassadors of Attalus were introduced to the assembly, who demanded, that in consideration for the prince who sent them, Eumenes, his brother, should be restored to the honours the republic had formerly decreed him. Archon supported this demand, but with great moderation. Polybius spoke with more force, enlarged upon the merit and services of Eumenes, demonstrated the injustice of the first decree, and concluded, that it was proper to repeal it. The whole assembly applauded his discourse, and it was resolved that Eumenes should be restored to all his honours.

"It was at this time Rome sent Popilius to Antiochus Epiphanes, to prevent his enterprises against Egypt, which we have mentioned before.

The Macedonian war gave the Romans great employment. Q. Marcius Philippus, one of the two consuls lately elected, was charged with it.

Before he set out, Perseus had conceived the design of taking the advantage of the winter to make an expedition against Illyria, which was the only province from whence Macedonia had reason to fear irruptions, during the king's being employed against the Romans. This expedition succeeded very happily for him, and almost without any loss on his side. He began with the siege of Uscana, which had fallen into the hands of the Romans, it is not known how, and took it, after a defence of some duration. He afterwards made himself master of all the strong places in the country,

A. M. 3835. Ant. J. C. 169. Liv. Į. xliii. n. 11, and 18-23. Polyb. Leg. 76, 77.

the most part of which had Roman garrisons in them, and took a great number of prisoners.

Perseus, at the same time, sent ambassadors to Gentius, one of the kings of Illyria, to induce him to quit the party of the Romans, and come over to him. Gentius was far from being averse to it; but, he observed, that having neither munitions of war, nor money, he was in no condition to declare against the Romans; which was explaining himself sufficiently. Perseus, who was avaricious, did not understand, or rather affected not to understand, his demand; and, sent a second embassy to him, without mention of money, and received the same answer. Polybius observes, that this fear of expenses, which denotes a little, mean soul, and entirely dishonours a prince, made many of his enterprises miscarry; and that, if he would have sacrificed certain sums, and those far from considerable, he might have engaged several republics and princes in his party. Can such blindness be conceived in a rational creature! Polybius considers it as a punishment from the gods.

Perseus, having led back his troops into Macedonia, made them march, afterwards to Stratus, a very strong city of Etolia, above the gulph of Ambracia. The people had given him hopes, that they would surrender it as soon as he appeared before the walls; but, the Romans prevented them, and threw succours into the place.

Early in the spring, the consul Marcius left Rome, and went to Thessaly, from whence, without losing time, he advanced into Macedonia, fully assured, that it was necessary to attack Perseus in the heart of his dominions.