Perseus (Macedonia)
Perseus ( Greek : Περσεύς *; around 213/212 BC; † around 165 BC in Alba Fucens ) from the Antigonid dynasty was the last king of ancient Macedonia . The state that had emerged from the Diadochi Wars for the legacy of Alexander the Great came as a result of the defeat in the Battle of Pydna on June 22, 168 BC. Under the rule of the Roman Republic .
Life and domination
Perseus ascended in 179 BC After the death of his father, King Philip V , the Macedonian throne. Two years before that, Philip had executed his Rome-friendly son Demetrius . Perseus is said to have had a hand in this. Jealous of Demetrius' success as envoy in Rome , he persuaded his father to poison his brother as a potential usurper. Therefore, the Romans, who had favored Demetrius as heir to the throne, viewed Perseus' accession to power rather critically.
As one of his first official acts, Perseus renewed the treaty with Rome. His further actions, however, worried the Romans, who did not want any consolidation of the Antigonid power. Above all, however, Hellenistic states such as Pergamum feared a revival of Macedonia and warned the Romans against Perseus with increasing zeal. His interference in the affairs of his neighbors, an armed appearance in Delphi , the disregard of Roman ambassadors in Macedonia and his dynastic marriages worried Rome.
172 BC The Roman Senate decided to militarily eliminate Perseus, and soon afterwards the Third Macedonian-Roman War began . After the initial success of the royal troops, Perseus had to fight after the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC. Subjugate the Roman general Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus . He was taken in a triumphal procession in Rome and then presumably imprisoned in Alba Fucens. The kingdom of the Antigonids was dissolved and initially replaced by four republics.
Perseus was married to Laodike, a daughter of King Seleucus IV . Their son Philipp shared their father's captivity. Years later, the rebel Andriskos posed as the son of Perseus and rose to be king for a short time. Its end in 146 BC BC led to the establishment of the Roman province of Macedonia .
According to Poseidonios , Perseus is said to have introduced the rose to Greece.
literature
- Fritz Geyer : Perseus 5 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XIX, 1, Stuttgart 1937, Sp. 996-1021.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Philip V. |
King of Macedonia 179–168 BC Chr. |
--- |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Perseus |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | King of Macedonia |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 213/212 BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | around 165 BC Chr. |
| Place of death | Alba Fucens |