the roman syrian war
DESCRIPTION
An project essay over the War of Antiochus.TRANSCRIPT
Beckah Maxwell-LeRoy 12/08/09
A3
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
Beckah Maxwell-LeRoy 12/08/09
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.♪
Beckah Maxwell-LeRoy 12/08/09
A3
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>.