Cynoscephalae 197 BC : Rome Humbles Macedon

Mark van der Enden

ISBN 10: 1472865383 / ISBN 13: 9781472865380

Published by Bloomsbury USA Jun 2025, 2025

About this Item

Neuware - A fascinating, illustrated study of how the Roman Republican legions defeated the Macedonian army's much-vaunted phalanxes.The Battle of Cynoscephalae represents a key moment in the history of the Greco-Roman world, witnessing the end of decades of Macedonian dominance of Aegean Greece and heralding the rise of Rome in its place. The proud Macedonian kingdom of Philip V was humbled, and its army - including the famous phalanxes - utterly ruined. Yet the battle, and campaign leading up to it, was hard fought and protracted. Philip V had successfully defied Rome in the First Macedonian war and was poised to do so again. The phalanx continued to represent a fierce and daunting opponent for the Roman legionaries in 197 BC.Here, classical historian Dr Mark van der Enden explores the Battle of Cynoscephalae as the culmination of three years of intensive campaigning; the Battle of Aio Stena (198 BC) is also covered in detail. The wide range of troops of the two opposing armies, and their weaponry and tactics are revealed in battlescene artworks and photos of material culture. Maps and diagrams explore the movements to battle, and the command decisions that played a crucial role in the outcome. Dr van der Enden also examines whether Flaminius' victory truly demonstrated the superiority of the Roman legion (armed with short swords and javelins) over the Antigonid phalanx (armed with lengthy pikes), as is often claimed.

Seller Inventory # 9781472865380

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Cynoscephalae 197 BC : Rome Humbles Macedon
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Jun 2025
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1472865383
• ISBN 13: 9781472865380
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Illustrator: Capparoni, Marco
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 244W x 180H x 9D millimeters 244 millimeters width by 180 millimeters height by 9 millimeters depth
• Weight: 300 grams

About this title

Synopsis

A fascinating, illustrated study of how the Roman Republican legions defeated the Macedonian army's much-vaunted phalanxes.

The battle of Cynoscephalae represents a key moment in the history of the Greco-Roman world. In this one battle the Macedonian hold over mainland Greece was broken, with the Roman Republic rising in its place as the pre-eminent power in the Greek East. At Cynoscephalae, the proud Macedonian kingdom of Antigonid monarch Philip V was humbled, its army shattered. Yet the battle, and campaign leading up to it, was hard fought and protracted. Philip V had defied Rome and its allies in the First Macedonian War and was poised to do so again, with the pike phalanx continuing to be a daunting opponent for the Roman legionaries.

Here, classical archaeologist Dr Mark van der Enden, drawing on primary sources and recent scholarship, explores the battle not as an isolated event but as the culmination of three years of intensive campaigning; the battle of the Aous gorge (198 BC) is also considered. The opposing armies, their weaponry, organization, tactics and commanders, are covered in detail and revealed in battlescene artworks and photos of material culture. Maps and diagrams explore the movements to battle and command decisions taken. Also examined is the performance of the Roman manipular legion over the Antigonid pike phalanx and whether Flamininus' victory truly demonstrated the superiority of Roman arms.

About the Authors

Mark van der Enden holds a PhD in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History. As an archaeologist, he has worked in Greece, Turkey and Israel, specializing in and publishing on the pottery of the Hellenistic world. His research focusses on how ceramic patterns of production, distribution and consumption are reflective of wider geo-political and socio-economic developments. Mark has worked at the Universities of Leicester and Loughborough in the area of student learning and development, and is currently employed as a student success advisor at the University of Surrey.

Specializing in history and military history, Marco Capparoni is a fine artist and illustrator for wargames, fiction and non-fiction publishers and private commissions.