PYDNA, BATTLE OF (168 B.c.). The Roman operations in Greece having lingered on for some time, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, "one of the few Romans of that age to whom one could not offer money," was sent to hasten a decision. Arriving at Herac leum he at once seized the pass of Pythium, which compelled Perseus king of Macedonia to fall back on Pydna.
The serried ranks of the Macedonian phalanx astonished and terrified Paullus, who, however, disguised his anxiety from his men, and advanced towards his enemy. The Roman vanguard was dispersed and one cohort almost annihilated. Once again the sarissa (pike) carried all before it, the Roman legions being forced back until they reached the hill upon which stood their camp. Here, on account of the broken nature of the ground, the phalanx became somewhat disorganized. Paullus at once sizing up the situation "commanded his men, that wherever they should see the line of the enemy present openings, they should individually rush to these spots, and insinuating themselves like a wedge into such spaces, however narrow their extent, they should fight with im petuosity" (Livy). These tactics resulted in complete success, the
phalanx being disjointed and broken up into a number of separated bodies. The II. legion then charged the disorganized mass of pikemen and routed it. Perseus and his cavalry fled the field leav ing the infantry to be slaughtered-2o,000 were killed and ii,000 made prisoners. This battle was the last fought by the phalanx. The whole campaign was only fifteen days. Thus perished the empire of Alexander the Great 144 years after his death.
See Livy XLIV. ; T. Mommsen, The History of Rome, Book III.
chap. x. ; H. G. Liddell, A History of Rome (1855). (J. F. C. F.)