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The Roman-Syrian War

After the Second Macedonian War in 197 B.C.E, the land of Macedonia was

divided into thirds: the Macedon kingdom controlled most of Greece and its north-of-

Mediterranean areas, the Ptolemaic kingdom had possession of North Africa and Egypt,

and the Seleucid kingdom controlled part of Asia Minor and Persia. At this time, the

leader of the Macedon kingdom, Philip the V, was ordered to abandon all Macedon land

in Greece, disband his navy and pay damage fees upon losing the Second Macedonian

War. Greece was announced free from Macedon oppressors by the Roman consul, Titus

Quinctius Flamininus.

However, word spread quickly to the Seleucid kingdom of Greece’s freedom

where Antiochus III the Great, the agitator of the Roman-Syrian War (192 B.C.E. – 188

B.C.E.), lay in wait. Antiochus knew Greece was vulnerable and he sought its coastline

in order to control the Mediterranean Sea. In 196 B.C.E, Antiochus had invaded many

coastline states of Greece. Rome, angered and threatened, sent diplomatic word to

Antiochus to cease his jurisdiction over Greece. Antiochus denied, many times and

continued to claim more land in Greece’s territory. War with Antiochus seemed

unavoidable for the Romans and a Cold War soon settled over the Macedonian land.

During the next year, Rome’s political control began to ebb and flow. The

Aetolians of Greece felt threatened due to the rising influence of Rome in Greece, and

convinced the states Chalcis and Demetrias into siding with their anti-roman beliefs. In

195 B.C.E, Rome planned an attack on Sparta, who was pressuring Rome to leave all of

Greece. Speculations concur that Rome used invading Sparta as an excuse to prevent

Greece from siding with Antiochus (Erich Gruen). The Aetolians offered to make a deal

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A3with Rome and proposed they invade Sparta in place of Rome in order to keep them out

of Greece. The Acheans, Aetolian rivals, feared the Aetolian league was becoming to

powerful and opposed this proposition. Sparta was defeated later that same year and the

Roman legions cleared out.

In the meantime, Antiochus was gaining allies in his war against Rome. Hannibal

Barca was recruited into Antiochus’s army after his defeat at the battle Zama, which led

to his exile from Carthage. As Antiochus channeled further into Greece, he gained troops

and resources to fuel his army.

The first major battle of the War took place at Thermopylae in 192B.C.E.

Antiochus led two legions across the narrow straight, Hellespont in order to end the

power of the Aetolian league. However, Antiochus failed to gain the aid of Philip the V

of Macedon and the Achean league. Antiochus was trapped, and was soon met by a

Roman army of 20,000 men. Antiochus realizing his predicament, fled back to Asia

Minor. Rome followed.

In the Aegean Sea, the two battles Eurymedon and Myonessus (190 B.C.E.) were

fought by a Seleucid fleet commanded by Hannibal and a Roman fleet controlled by

Scipio Asciaticus. Hannibal was easily defeated in both encounters and the Romans

march into Seleucid territory. Antiochus was finally defeated in the battle of Magnesia

against armies of Rome and of Pergamum (190 B.C.E).

Antiochus was later forced to sign the Treaty of Apamea. The terms of the treaty

stated Antiochus would pay15, 000 talents of silver (about $3 billion) as a war indemnity;

he would abandon his Seleucid territory from the Taurus Mountains which would be

handed over to Pergamum, and would return Hannibal Barca to Rome as a life prisoner of

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A3war. Hannibal however poisoned himself to avoid becoming a captive to Rome.

Pergamum then became one of the most powerful countries in Asia Minor.

The Roman-Syrian War shifted the borders and the power of the Roman and

Macedonian empires. A new conflict arose between the central powers of the

Mediterranean and the struggle for land continued. This war marked the beginning of the

end of the Seleucid Empire and the expansion of Rome’s territory.♪

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Bibliography

●"Ancient Rome XV-Macedonian Wars andTwo a Syrian War." Encyclopedia.com. History with

a Twist of Lime, 2009. Web. 6 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/LrrOmHAvYO4-ancient-rome-xv-two-

macedonian.aspx>.

●"Roman-Syrian War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. Web. 6 Dec. 2009.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman%E2%80%93Syrian_War>.

●"Syrian War." UNRV History. UNRV.com, 2003. Web. 6 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.unrv.com/empire/syrian-war.php>.

●Crespi, Alessandro. "Roman-Syrian War." Commons and Colors Ancients. GMT Games LLC,

2008. Web. 6 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.ccancients.net/Maps/Syrian-War-192-188-BC/index.html>.