Books by Philip Matyszak - Roman conquests: Macedonia and Greece

In the late third century BC, while Rome was struggling for her very survival against the Carthaginians in the second Punic War, Philip V of Macedon allied with Hannibal in pursuit of his dream for a new Macedonian empire. While fighting Hannibal the Romans negated the threat by the shrewd, even cynical use of allies who kept Philip occupied in Greece and Illyria. Once Carthage was defeated, however, the roman army for the first time turned its full attention to the Greek world. The stage was set for the clash of two of the most successful military systems of the ancient world - the roman legions against the Macedonian phalanx. Though sorely tested, the legions emerged victorious from the battles of Cynoscephalae and Pydna. The home of Alexander the Great fell under the power of Rome, along with the rest of Greece, the cradle of western civilization, which had a profound effect on Roman culture and society.

Like the other volumes in this series, this book gives a clear narrative of the course of these wars, explaining how the Roman war machine coped with formidable new foes and the challenges of unfamiliar new terrain.

Before I started this project, I could not understand why there had not been for

so long a mainstream history of such an important topic. Then I started researching, and thought 'Ah, yes ...'. Basically, the Macedonian Wars are a playground for the specialist historian. To understand events one has to keep track of the doings and complex politics of great powers such as Ptolomaic Egypt and Seleucid Syria, and also of minor Greek city-states such as Megapolis. Then, there is the importance of the landscape, a multiplicity of characters, and fragmented sources which individually give an incomplete picture of events. In short, writing a book that was both comprehensive and accessible was the equivalent of a tricky rock-face to an experienced climber - both challenging and tremendous fun.

I hope that what comes across in this book is how much I relished writing it. The movement of the armies was charted on a large relief map of Greece with quotes from the relevant sources stuck next to them, while print-outs form various academic journals were scattered all over the floor around. Pen & Sword provided excellent technical support with customized colour plates and maps, and I was fortunate enough to have Jackie whalen on the spot in Greece with her camera. This book was a team effort, and re-reading the end result, I'm delighted with how it turned out. If you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it, you are in for a treat!