Battle of Pydna The Battle of Pydna in 168 BC between Rome and the Macedonian Antigonid dynasty saw the further ascendancy of Rome in the Hellenic / Hellenistic world and the end of the Antigonid line of kings , whose power traced back to Alexander the Great . Paul K . Davis writes that " Pydna marked the final destruction of Alexander ’ s empire and introduced Roman authority over the Near East . " Campaign . The Third Macedonian War started in 171 BC , after a number of acts on the part of King Perseus of Macedon incited Rome to declare war . At first , the Romans won a number of small victories , largely due to Perseus ' refusal to consolidate his armies . By the end of the year , the tide changed dramatically and Perseus had regained most of his losses , including the important religious city of Dion . Perseus then established himself in an unassailable position on the river Elpeus , in northeastern Greece . The next year , command of the Roman expeditionary force passed to Lucius Aemilius Paullus , an experienced soldier who was one of the consuls for the year . To force Perseus from his position , Paullus sent a small force ( 8 , 200 foot and 120 horse ) under the command of Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum to the coast , a feint to convince Perseus that he was attempting a riverborne flanking maneuver . Instead , that night Scipio took his force south and over the mountains to the west of the Roman and Macedonian armies . They moved as far as Pythion , then swung northeast to attack the Macedonians from the rear . A Roman deserter , however , made his way to the Macedonian camp and Perseus sent a force of 12 , 000 under the command of Milo to block the approach road . The encounter that followed sent Milo and his men back in disarray towards the main Macedonian army . After this , Perseus moved his army northwards and took up a position near Katerini , a village south of Pydna . It was a fairly level plain and was very well suited to the phalanx . Paullus then had Scipio rejoin the main force , while Perseus deployed his forces for what appeared to be an attack from the south by Scipio . The Roman armies were actually to the west , and when they advanced , they found Perseus fully deployed . Instead of joining battle with troops tired from the march , they encamped to the west in the foothills of Mount Olocrus . At the night before the battle there was an eclipse of the moon , which was perceived by the Macedonians as an ill omen , bringing fear and terror into their hearts . According to Plutarch , they interpreted it as a sign of their king ' s demise . The fighting began the afternoon of the next day , June 22 . The exact cause of the start of the battle differs ; one story is that Paullus waited until late enough in the day for the sun not to be in the eyes of his troops , and then sent an unbridled horse forward to bring about alarm . More likely it was the result of some Roman foragers getting a little too close and being attacked by some Thracians in Perseus ' army . Battle . The Romans had 29 , 000 men , of which 24 , 500 were infantry , including two legions ( approximate strength 15 , 000 foot and horse ) . The Macedonians had 44 , 000 soldiers , of which 21 , 000 were phalangites . The cavalry forces were roughly equal , about 4 , 000 each . The two armies were drawn up in their usual fashion . The Romans had placed the two legions in the middle , with the allied Latin , Italian and Greek infantry on their flanks . The cavalry was placed on the wings , with the Roman right being supplemented by 22 elephants . The phalanx took up the center of the Macedonian line , with the elite 3 , 000 - strong Guard formed to the left of the phalanx . Lighter peltasts , mercenaries and Thracian infantry guarded the two flanks of the phalanx , while the Macedonian cavalry was also most probably arrayed on both flanks . The stronger contingent was on the Macedonian right , where Perseus commanded the heavy cavalry ( including his elite Sacred Squadron ) , and the Thracian Odrysian cavalry were deployed . The two centers engaged at about 3pm , with the Macedonians advancing on the Romans a short distance from the Roman camp . Paullus claimed later that the sight of the phalanx filled him with alarm and amazement . The Romans tried to beat down the enemy pikes or hack off their points , but with little success . Unable to get under the thick bristle of spikes , the Romans used a planned retreat over the rough ground . But as the phalanx pushed forward , the ground became more uneven as it moved into the foothills , and the line lost its cohesion , being forced over the rough terrain . Paullus now ordered the legions into the gaps , attacking the phalangites on their exposed flanks . At close quarters the longer Roman sword and heavier shield easily prevailed over the short sword ( little more than a dagger ) and lighter armor of the Macedonians . They were soon joined by the Roman right , which had succeeded in routing the Macedonian left . Seeing the tide of battle turn , Perseus fled with the cavalry on the Macedonian right . According to Plutarch , Perseus ' cavalry had yet to engage , and both the king and his cavalry were accused of cowardice by the surviving infantry . Poseidonius claimed that the king was injured by enemy missiles and was brought to the city of Pydna at the start of the battle . However , the 3 , 000 strong Guard fought to the death , and the Macedonians suffered more than 32 , 000 dead or captured out of 40 , 000 . The battle lasted about an hour but the bloody pursuit lasted until nightfall . Perseus later surrendered to Paullus , and was paraded in triumph in Rome in chains . He was then imprisoned . The Macedonian kingdom was dissolved , many inhabitants deemed to be anti - Roman were enslaved and sent to Rome , much of its land parcelled out to Roman colonists ( ex - legionaries ) and Roman allies , its government replaced with four republics . In time , these were also dissolved , and Macedonia became a Roman province . The battle is often considered to be a victory of the Roman legion ' s flexibility over the phalanx ' s inflexibility . Nevertheless , some argue that the loss was actually due to a failure of command on the part of Perseus and the peculiar stance of the Companion cavalry , who did not engage the enemy . Aftermath . This was not the final conflict between the two rivals , but it broke the back of Macedonian power . The political consequences of the lost battle were severe . The Senate ' s settlement included the deportation of all the royal officials and the permanent house arrest of Perseus . The kingdom was divided into four republics that were heavily restricted from intercourse or trade with one another . There was a ruthless purge , with allegedly anti - Roman citizens being denounced by their compatriots and deported in large numbers ( 300 , 000 ) . In 167 BC , Paullus received orders to attack Epirus , resulting in the enslavement of 15 , 000 Epirotes . This took place despite the fact that Epirus had not aided Perseus in the war . The Battle of Pydna and its political aftermath mark the effective end of Macedonian independence , although formal annexation was still some years away .