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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Relative Peace: The Year 185 BCE

Summary Lucius Manlius Acidinus celebrates an ovatio for his victories in Nearer Spain; The consuls Appius Claudius Pulcher and Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus campaign against the Ligurian tribes; The praetor Lucius Postumius puts down a slave rebellion in Apulia; After first suffering a reverse, the praetors Gaius Calpurnius Piso and Lucius…

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Cato the Censor: The Year 184 BCE

Summary Marcus Porcius Cato and Lucius Valerius Flaccus serve as censors; The censors take several measures: Lucius Quinctius Flamininus is removed from the Senate for killing a man just to please his catamite; Lucius Scipio is stripped of his public horse; Lucius Valerius Flaccus at some point becomes the new…

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The Deaths of Scipio and Hannibal: The Year 183 BCE

Summary Dozens of Greek diplomatic missions visit the Senate in Rome; The Kingdom of Pontos captures Sinope on the Black Sea; The last Agiad King of Sparta, Agesipolis III, is killed by pirates while sailing to Rome; Scipio Africanus dies at his country estate in Liternum; Hannibal Barcas commits suicide…

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The Greek Tragedy: The Year 182 BCE

Summary More Greek diplomatic missions visit the Senate in Rome; First diplomatic contacts between Rome and the Kingdom of Pontos; The Achaean strategos Philopoimen is captured by the Messenians and forced to drink poison; Tensions are growing between Perseus and Demetrios, the two sons of King Philippos of Macedonia; The…

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Aquileia: The Year 181 BCE

Summary A serious epidemic hits Rome and the rest of Italy; The Romans once again elect duumviri navales to protect their coast and allies against Illyrian and Ligurian pirates; The praetor Marcus Pinarius defeats the rebellious Corsi on Corsica and the Ilienses on Sardinia; The Ligurian Ingauni besiege the proconsul…

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Lex Villia Annalis: The Year 180 BCE

Summary The epidemic in Rome and Italy continues to claim many lives, including those of several magistrates and priests; The Lex Villia Annalis sets minimum age requirements for holding the public offices of aedile, praetor and consul; The proconsuls Publius Cornelius Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus force the Ligurian Apuani…

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The Death of Flamininus: The Year 174 BCE

Summary Titus Quinctius Flamininus dies; Quintus Fulvius Flaccus and Aulus Postumius Albinus serve as censors; Scipio Africanus’ son Lucius is removed from the Senate for unknown reasons; Another epidemic hits Italy; The propraetor Appius Claudius Cento wins a victory over the Celtiberians in Nearer Spain; A delegation led by Gaius…

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The Second Macedonian War: The Year 199 BCE

Summary Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and Publius Aelius Paetus serve as censors; Scipio becomes the new princeps senatus; The praetor Gnaeus Baebius Tamphilus is heavily defeated by the Insubres; The proconsul Lucius Manlius Acidinus is awarded an ovatio for his victories in Spain, but it is vetoed by a people’s…

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The Second Macedonian War: The Year 198 BCE

Summary In spite of his young age, Titus Quinctius Flamininus becomes one of the new consuls; he is given the war against Macedonia as his province; The praetor urbanus Lucius Cornelius Merula suppresses a slave revolt in Latium, presumably the first in Roman history; Flamininus outflanks the Macedonian positions and…

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The Seleucid War: The Year 192 BCE

Summary The Romans declare King Antiochos III of the Seleucid Empire an enemy of the State; More Roman successes in the Spanish provinces; The proconsul Quintus Minucius Thermus defeats the Ligurians in a battle near Pisa; The consuls Lucius Quinctius and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus devastate the territories of the Boii,…

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The Second Punic War: The Year 207 BCE

Summary For the first time during the Second Punic War, the Roman coastal colonies are required to provide soldiers; Hasdrubal Barcas arrives in Cisalpine Gaul, but fails to capture the Latin colony of Placentia; The consul Gaius Claudius Nero confronts Hannibal near Grumentum; The Romans intercept couriers with a message…

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