Battle of Pydna
168 BCE · Greece
The Battle of Pydna was fought in 168 BCE in Greece between Roman Republic vs the Kingdom of Macedon; decisive Roman victory that ended the Macedonian monarchy.
Battle of Pydna: quick facts
- Date
- 168 BCE
- Location
- Greece
- Belligerents
- Roman Republic vs the Kingdom of Macedon
- Commanders
- Lucius Aemilius Paullus vs Perseus
- Result
- decisive Roman victory that ended the Macedonian monarchy.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Pydna?
The Roman consul Lucius Aemilius Paullus defeated King Perseus of Macedon in a battle that ended the Antigonid dynasty and Macedonian independence. As the Macedonian phalanx advanced over uneven ground, gaps opened in the formation. Roman legionaries charged into these gaps with their short swords, where the long sarissa pikes were useless at close quarters. Over 20,000 Macedonians were killed in under an hour.
Did you know?
After Pydna, the Roman consul Aemilius Paullus wept at the sight of the defeated King Perseus, reportedly reflecting on the fragility of human fortune and the fickleness of fate.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Pydna on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.