Battle of Cynoscephalae
The Battle of Cynoscephalae, fought in 197 B.C.E., marked a significant turning point in the Macedonian Wars between Rome and King Philip V of Macedon. The conflict was initiated after allies Rhodes and Pergamum sought Roman assistance against Macedonian expansion in the eastern Mediterranean. The battle unfolded unexpectedly when both armies encountered each other on the foggy Cynoscephalae ridge, with each side numbering approximately 20,000 troops. While Philip's forces initially pushed back the Roman left flank, the terrain hindered the cohesion of the Macedonian left, allowing Roman general Titus Quinctius Flamininus to exploit this weakness and secure a decisive victory.
The Romans executed a strategic maneuver that involved attacking the Macedonian formation from the rear, leading to catastrophic losses for Philip, who suffered around 8,000 deaths and 5,000 captures, while Roman casualties were significantly lower at about 700. The aftermath of the battle had profound implications, as it forced Philip to concede significant territorial and naval rights to Rome. This defeat established Rome as the dominant power in the region, reshaping the political landscape of Greece and the Aegean Sea. The Battle of Cynoscephalae thus not only exemplifies the tactical evolution of Roman military strategies but also underscores the shift in regional power dynamics during this historical period.
Battle of Cynoscephalae
Related civilizations:Republican Rome, Macedonia.
Date: 197 b.c.e.
Locale: Southwest Thessaly, Greece
Background
In 200 b.c.e., Rome declared war against King Philip V after Rhodes and Pergamum appealed to the senate for aid in stopping Macedonian aggression in the eastern Mediterranean. Roman military activity in Greece through 198 b.c.e. proved largely inconclusive in slowing Philip’s territorial ambitions. The following year, Roman and Macedonian armies clashed in a climactic battle at Cynoscephalae (sih-nuh-SEH-fuh-lee). This battle was part of the Macedonian Wars.
Action
Philip V and an army of 20,000 men engaged a Roman force of equal size under the proconsul Titus Quinctius Flamininus. The battle spontaneously developed after the armies unexpectedly encountered each other in fog on Cynoscephalae ridge. Philip, advancing on the Roman formation with only the right wing of his phalanx fully assembled, drove back the Roman left, but broken ground disrupted the cohesion of the Macedonian left wing, permitting the forces of Flamininus’s right to gain a complete victory in that quarter. With the defeat of Philip’s left assured, a Roman tribune detached twenty maniples from the legions’ right and attacked the successful portion of the phalanx in the rear. This action completely shattered the Macedonian formation. Philip’s losses included 8,000 killed and 5,000 captured. Roman casualties amounted to 700 dead.
Consequences
Following his defeat at Cynoscephalae, Philip was forced by Rome to surrender his fleet, relinquish all claims to territorial possessions in Greece and the Aegean Sea, and pay a sizable war indemnity. Rome became the primary political arbiter in the region.
Bibliography
Adcock, F. E. The Roman Art of War Under the Republic. New York: Barnes & Nobles, 1995.
Walbank, F. W. Philip V of Macedon. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1967.