Enden, Marc van der/Capparoni, Marco (Illustr.) Cynoscephalae 197 BC. Rome Humbles Macedon

The Battle of Cynoscephale represents a key moment in the history of the Greco-Roman world. In this one battle, the rule of the Macedonians over the Greek mainland was broken and the Roman Republic took its place as the pre-eminent power in the Greek East. At Cynoscephalae, the proud Macedonian empire of the Antigonid monarch Philip V was humiliated and his army crushed. However, the battle and the campaign that preceded it were hard-fought and protracted. Philip V had stood up to Rome and its allies in the First Macedonian War and was ready to do so again, with the pikemen phalanx still a fearsome opponent for the Roman legionaries. In this book, archaeologist Mark van der Enden uses primary sources and recent research to examine the battle not as an isolated event, but as the culmination of an intense three-year campaign; the Battle of the Aous Gorge (198 BC) is also considered. The opposing armies, their armament, organisation, tactics and commanders are described in detail and made visible through artworks of battle scenes and photos of the material culture. Maps and diagrams are used to analyse the movements to battle and the command decisions made. The performance of the Roman manipular legion against the Antigonid pikephalanx and the question of whether Flamininus' victory really demonstrated the superiority of Roman arms are also analysed.