Viriathus: The Years 145-143 BCE

Summary The consul Quintus Fabius Maximus Aemilianus successfully campaigns against Viriathus, but fails to end the war against the Lusitanians (145-144 BCE); King Ptolemaios VI Philometor of Egypt defeats Alexander Balas, ruler of the Seleucid Empire; the latter is succeeded by Demetrios II Nikator; Ptolemaios himself succumbs to his injuries…

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Viriathus: The Years 142-140 BCE

Summary The consul Quintus Fabius Maximus Servilianus fights against Viriathus and the Lusitanians with mixed results (142-141 BCE); Scipio Aemilianus and Lucius Mummius Achaicus serve as censors (142-141 BCE); The new Jewish High Priest Simon confirms the treaty of friendship with the Romans (142 BCE); Viriathus is officially recognised by…

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The Third Punic War: The Year 150 BCE

Summary The consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus and the praetor Servius Sulpicius Galba massacre the Lusitanians; The Numidians annihilate a Carthaginian army under Hasdrubal the Boetharch; Claiming the Carthaginian offensive was illegal under the 201 BCE treaty, the Romans begin preparing for a new war with Carthage; The Senate decides to…

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The Third Punic War: The Year 148 BCE

Summary Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and Marcus Claudius Marcellus die; King Masinissa of the Numidians dies; Scipio Aemilianus divides his territories among his three legitimate sons, Micipsa, Gulussa and Mastanabal; Manius Manilius leads a second expedition to Nepheris and is again unsuccessful; Himilco Phameas defects to Rome; The consul Lucius Calpurnius…

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The Third Macedonian War: The Year 171 BCE

Summary Rome declares war on Macedonia; start of the Third Macedonian War; A conflict regarding the recruitment of centurions is resolved through an intervention by the veteran Spurius Ligustinus; The Boeotian League is dissolved, but some former members decide to support King Perseus; Quintus Marcius Philippus is criticised by senior…

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The Third Macedonian War: The Year 170 BCE

Summary Publius Licinius Crassus sacks Koroneia, for which he is severely reprimanded; Some of the Epirotes defect to Perseus; The new consul Aulus Hostilius Mancinus is almost captured en route to Thessaly; Mancinus fails to force his way into Macedonia with his army; Mancinus sends a diplomatic delegation through all…

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The Third Macedonian War: The Year 168 BCE

Summary The Illyrian king Genthios defects to Perseus for 300 talents, although only 10 are actually paid; A Macedonian fleet surprises a Pergamenian transport fleet taking Galatian auxiliary horsemen to Greece; The praetor Lucius Anicius Gallus defeats and captures Genthios, ending the war in Illyria within the month; The consul…

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Policeman of the Mediterranean: The Years 159-154 BCE

Summary The consul Marcus Fulvius Nobilior defeats the Ligurian Eleates and is awarded a triumph (159 BCE); Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica and Marcus Popilius Laenas are elected censors (159 BCE); The Senate twice refuses to release the 1.000 Achaean hostages (159 and 155 BCE); The Romans for the moment decide…

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Lusitanian and Celtiberian Wars: The Year 152 BCE

Summary Death of the pontifex maximus and princeps senatus Marcus Aemilius Lepidus; The praetor Marcus Atilius Serranus defeats the Lusitanians and captures the city of Oxthraca; The consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus recaptures Ocilis and orders the Arevaci, Belli and Titti to send envoys to Rome to ask for peace; Marcellus…

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