The Battle of Pydna, 168 BC: Rome Invades Macedonia

In 168 BC, Rome faced the remnants of the Macedonian Empire, which once dominated most of the known world under Alexander the Great.
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[@robbabcock_]

Terrific video! It's amazing that a century and a half prior to this battle Macedon had conquered virtually the entire known world. It didn't take long after Alexander's death for them to revert back to backwater status.

[@ComboMuster]

It was not backwater status at all. Roman Civil War had Macedonia and surrounded regions as the main theater of battle culminating in the famous battle of Pharsalus. The reason for that was the high degree of civilization and the disciplined fighting stock of local populace.

[@guycalabrese4040]

The best thing with this battle is that it gave us Polybios.

[@999theeagle]

Which led to Soldiaboy then the Island Bois.

[@tannerdenny5430]

I don't think getting captured was his breakout moment to success. Probably one of his most shameful moments he never truly lived down. Of course there's no shame in recognizing when you been check mated but it wasn't like people were waiting on the tarmac like that womens basketball player that russia kidnapped and held as a bargaining chip. Men saw it as suuuper shameful to not go down swinging. And men should at least stick up for themselves sure. Yes good and fine. But hey they were beat. The leader should fight til death though.

[@guycalabrese4040]

@@tannerdenny5430Millions of students thru the millennia has read his roman history. Much that we know today about roman army, equipment etc is because of him. He was a great writer and we are lucky that his works survived to modern times. You should try reading him. That's the point behind my original comment.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

@@tannerdenny5430 Polybius wasn’t captured in battle. He was from Achaea, which was nominally a Roman ally during this war. Polybius was taken hostage by the Romans because some in Achaea didn’t want to help the Romans and after the war, Rome took captives to put them on “trial” for instigating Achaea to break its alliance.

[@dariusghodsi2570]

Finally back to the classical era, it's been a long time! Will also like to see a lot more Late Antiquity, 3rd-7th century AD

[@deshmcfly3126]

top tier history videos, watching your early videos shows how you have used your time and experience to master your craft. Thanks for the time you put in and the extensive effort you put into your videos

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Thanks as always for this amazing video! really enjoyed it!

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

Thank you house of history for bring us best docs. Love you from Sri Lankan fan. We always appreciate your hard work and dedication towards these videos.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Hello man! Thank you so much for all the hardwork you put into these videos! I specially appreciate the roman ones!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤

[@isabeaoctel]

As always, top notch videos. Thxs

[@KHK001]

Amazing work as always!

[@p03saucez]

Love your ancient warfare videos. Maybe explore less covered conflicts? Cantabrian War, Social War, Perusine War, etc..

[@wilkinstokarev5705]

You outdid yourself again sir excellent job of documenting this battle thank you.

[@davidhughes8357]

After studying ancient military history and battles since the early 1960s I am very happy with your wonderful channel. Please keep at it friends. Thank you.

[@MaxentiusFrankius]

Splendid video, any chance of doing one on the Battle of Blenheim? There has been no recent doc on it in this style.

[@thecrusaderhistorian9820]

Great video!

[@ThomasWhiteX]

I’m glad I found your channel.

[@FighteroftheNightman]

Dang man. This was my first video of yours and it was pretty impressive. Gonna sub and binge some of your stuff for a bit lol

[@HoH]

Enjoy!

[@brokenbridge6316]

Nicely done video

[@jotaro2690]

Great video. Looking forward to watch the next video of the austro prussian war

[@Nozylatten]

Thankyou very much.

[@arturleperoke3205]

Video Ideas: Late Roman Empire and its Germannic/Half-Germannic Generals such as Arbogast, Stilicho, Aetius, Merobaudes

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was a wonderful historical coverage video introduced by an excellent ( house of history) channel.. video about Macedonian defeated in pydna battle. Rome Empire gained victory.. expanded its direct dominant over Macedonian territory at 168 BC ... Thank you for sharing

[@imoutofideas8515]

Could you do like a series on prince eugene of savoy hes not well covered and I think he would bring great content just like youre wonderful series on frederick the great which I have watched several times and everytime am astounished by how great and easy to understand you explain everything

[@HoH]

HistoryMarche and I collaborate on a series on his life. Check it out on his channel!

[@Jippa_33]

The Romans did to the Macedonians what the Samnites did to them. The phalanx doesn’t work in the mountains.

[@elenilepouri7253]

Well the phalanx at 168 wasnt Alexander phalanx but weaken Even 160 yrs before Alexander phalanx was well protected at the sides- ligit cavarly and light infantry parts - and well trained in mountainous war

[@reichserzmarschall]

​@@elenilepouri7253 to note, roman's testudo was actually formulated as direct counter to the macedonian's phalanx as the phalanges were heavily relied on its mass compare to the roman's testudo that were more mobile that enable the romans do more versatile maneuver

[@Comrade_Connie]

A Surprise but I liked it the Macedonian Wars don't get enough Coverage Compared to The 2nd Punic War or Gallic Wars honestly hoping you'd cover the events in Hispania aswell in the Future and the Amount of Effort you put speaks for itself, this also helped me with dealing with something as my Father Died Last night I needed this to relax thank you.

[@HoH]

I am sorry for your loss.

[@DrKarmo]

My only complaints abiut this video is that i think it should have more unit squares/rectangles, it's an amazing video tho!

[@hellfruit5612]

When follow-ups can be really dangerous...

[@Shthophyckq]

Can you make some videos about the Seleucid-Persian, Seleucid-Egyptian wars, Seleucid-Roman, Persian-Roman or Bulgarian-Roman wars?

[@lorenzoscirpoli8563]

I would make a suggestion. In the map it's showed Rome controlling all northern Italy, but in II century BC Rome controlled only the Padana Plane. The Alps were conquered only by Augustus.

[@homelessjesse9453]

@10:00. Once again, the phalanx was always superior to the Roman style of conflict. It's just that it always needed superior cavalry, as per Alexander, to act as the hammer.

[@DJsharp707]

False. The maniple was superior which is why the phalanx became obsolete. Phalanx’s are only effective against Calvary or light infantry on open terrain, and also required a lot of cohesion and coordination to work properly. Alexander’s phalanx was effective because the Persians just rushed with hordes of men with wicker shields and leather armor at best against a wall a spears and hoped to wear the phalanx down so their Calvary and chariots could mop them up. The phalanx was an archaic method of warfare that was good against an army with superior numbers and undisciplined forces, but against an army of disciplined heavy infantry and over unfavorable terrain they will be massacred as we saw in this battle! Hope that clears some things up.

[@homelessjesse9453]

@@DJsharp707 Plenty of battles show the phalanx when one on one in open fields, mauled the Roman maniple. Every single time. Like I said, they just needed superior cavalry. And if it was so archaic, why was it brought back during the Renaissance era?

[@joshlaube9021]

​@homelessjesse9453 plenty of battles show it lost. Phalanx is like a master of one situation but the worst in every other category. Warfare changes it came back cause of use was required. Why don't people bring spears to a gun fight anymore? If you find my last statement stupid that was your renaissance comment equivalent. Overall the Romans master warfare and chose flexibility over the one style. If one way didn't work they had another way. My opinion flexibility in army is best army we see it till this day. Roman at the time was the best army the time when sword beat spear. Before you say I'm wrong then I guess rome didn't conquer Greece and yes I know Romans used phalanx when it was needed. If phalanx solely relied on Alexander the great tactics. Sounds weak if you don't have the excalty what you need scenario. Romans were the jack of all trades phalanx was the master of one trade

[@homelessjesse9453]

@@joshlaube9021 Also, check out this battle as to why the Romans sucked so badly against a cavalry heavy opponent. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXKuo4OJodKdo5I

[@drejade7119]

​@@DJsharp707Yeah... Except Romans maniple were defeated by basically a beginner phalanx army led by a Spartan General in the first punic war. "a lot of cohesion and coordination" which heavily sounds like the Romans? What do you think the maniple is? A ragtag army? Maniple in this era are litterally more trained than the Phalanx and their unweildy pikes. In most of the battles between Phalanx and Maniples also. It almost always comes down to who exploits the gaps first which mostly is Roman generals. Most greek generals here only seem to do a general orders which fails to exploit any. The funny thing is that everyone likes to make shit of the Persian Army Alexander faced yet seem completely blind over the really great maneuvers Darius tried to make. Those persian army are not just numbers LMAO, those who says that didnt study anything about the Persian army.

[@SpookerXG]

Pls do the battle of cynoscephalae

[@bartomiejzakrzewski7220]

and Magnesia 190 b.c

[@SpookerXG]

I think he did one @@bartomiejzakrzewski7220

[@shehryarashraf5840]

basically, if you are roman and your name has the word Crass in it. dont lead an army

[@Lobster1404]

Maybe 1500-2000 roman casualties but 150-200 is just mystical

[@thegreygoon1699]

My puppy loves your voice. I hope that isn't too weird.

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Would not recommend climbing natural fortifications or redoubts.

[@cjclark1208]

Rome’s mid-late Republic legions looking east.. *look, free real estate Maximus Plundermus*

[@Yosemite_sam694]

I feel like the conquest of Macedonia did more than solidify romes regional dominance Until aftermath of pydna Macedonia was the cultural hegemony of Hellenistic world, Macedonia Seleucid and Ptolemy dynasties basically controlled the Mediterranean east of the Aegean and dominated Asia Minor , basically they held all the wealthy provinces that went on to be so important to Rome centuries later . After Carthage conquest Rome was already the most dominant military in Mediterranean , they controlled Africa , Sicily and and Italy , but the richest and most prosperous civilizations were definitely under Hellenistic influence. After crushing Macedonia , Rome had already defeated Seleucid’s and scared Seleucid’s from wanting any fight with Rome . This occupation of Macedonia and subjugation of Greek cities sent the message that no longer were Greeks or the dynasties of Alexander the dominant force in the world. By this time everyone knew what war against Rome meant, you could never stop the war machine , legion after legion , even with all the wealth Asia Minor had to offer, the Seleucid’s couldn’t afford to suffer huge military defeats . They had to control their own empire and had to fight against growing parthians . Powers like selucia or Egypt could have banded together and waged war against Rome, but they would have to be dedicated enough to sacrifice potentially all of their wealth and lost manpower, nobody besides Rome was crazy enough to do that, none had the military capable of such a thing . Imagine a bunch of peasants slaves making up the bulk of an army and then a bunch of overpaid mercenaries that don’t actually want to die, and you have Greek armies vs Rome, an army that drafts from its citizens and runs a military state with structured laws requiring military service and training, a professional state ran army. Everyone had found out just how dangerous Rome was far before pydna but after pydna the conquest on the entire Mediterranean was inevitable

[@elenilepouri7253]

Actually Rome invaded Greece with Greek city-states and kingdoms allies- Aetolians Athens Pontos Pergamos Rhodes.. When Greeks unified after realized- the " danger from west" as many warned- it was too late( 146 bc)

[@rickjames18]

Why would Perseus attack uphill on uneven ground despite knowing the danger? was it supply issues or pressure?

[@VERDIENSTORDEN]

Are those paintings or ai generated images my goodness there breathtaking in detail

[@wojciechsobolewski8192]

All battles between Macedonians and Romans can be summarized with two words: Mountainous Terrain.

[@dunyadaily]

battle of Omdurman 1898 please

[@kwezicanca3698]

The donkey that changed the West 🐎🐴

[@malice9830]

Pls do romano british

[@InAeternumRomaMater]

Roman Republic was such a masterpiece

[@matts7125]

I love rome for what it accomplished but it’s always cool to wonder “what if”

[@beepboop204]

[@peterpaulrobejsek6036]

The ship artwork is a little out of period, no?

[@kingslayya6876]

what an embarrassing loss

[@Jimmyjimb123]

Who’s persus to alexzander ?

[@shaifunnessa7816]

Maratha empire Vs mughal empire war please make video

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

I completely agree with you on that but I would also love to see videos on the Campaigns of Ahmad Shah Abdālī and videos on the Afghan Sikh wars and I’m interested in the campaigns of Ahmad Shah Abdālī because of the third battle of Panipat Where The Marathas who were Hindus fought alongside a Muslim Commander Named Ibrahim Khan Gardi who at first was of poor origin but he was an expert of artillery and during the battle of Panipat Ibrahim Khan and the troops under his command did sort of did the same thing that king Leonidias of Sparta did at Thermopylae and what Ibrahim Khan Gardi did was he and his men continued to fight even when sad news was brought to them and he and his 9,000 musketeers continued to fight until the last man and after the battle Ibrahim Khan Gardi was captured and brutally tortured by his captors and he died however after the battle and his death his family and his men that had escaped kept on serving the Marathas as their personal guards and musketeers but when the Peshwa’s rule ended the musketeers and personnel guards joined the service of the British east India company as Sepoys, Musketeers, Cavalryman, Infantry and Artillery units and these units included the 17th(Poona) Horse of the Indian Army, The Bombay Engineer Group, The Madras Engineer group and The Maratha Light Infantry and these 4 units still serve today in the army of India.

[@notthefbi7932]

For the algorithm 😁

[@richpontone1]

The Macedonian phalanxes were unwieldy and could not adjust to changing battle field circumstances which turned very quickly. The Roman Legions were very mobile and attacked the flanks and rear of these phalanxes. The Macedonian Calvary did nothing but retreat. The Roman Calvary helped the Roman Legions by charging at the rear of the phalanxes. Macedonian King Perseus left the field as he was injured by an arrow. Paulus the Roman Commander was very experienced and explained that an eclipse that happened was not an ill omen but a sign for success. The Macedonians thought that it was sign of disaster and they were right. Further Paulus made the Macedonians think he was attacking from one direction when he attacked from another, fooling the Macedonians. This was the end of The Third Macedonian War and so, the Romans were experts in fighting and winning against their formations.

[@POD_1830]

The franco prussian war would be great

[@TheColombiano89]

The Roman conquest of the Macedonians was a great campaign. First the Greeks had been conquered by Macedon during the Persian invasion and during Phillip and Alexander's reign

[@elenilepouri7253]

No. Phillipos unified Greeks against Persia - 338- and Alexandros captured persian empire as " Greek leader" he said

[@jasonthompson6594]

Awesome!

[@bigteach25]

My God, what an epic beat down!

[@Shimra8888]

How sad to see the legacy of Philip and Alexander end so ignominiously after only a few battles. At least Carthage put up an epic fight, I would have expected more of Macedon. Why didn’t the Greeks resist the Romans like they did the Persians? The very “Greek” means “conquered race” doesn’t it??

[@gerardjagroo]

On the night before Alexander the Great's stunning victory at Gaugamela, there was also a comet. Now a comet before Rome's victory over Macedon. If comets signify anything, it may be the fall of Empires with the comet at Gaugamela being a harbinger of the fall of the Aechaemenid Persian Empire and the comet at Pydna foretelling the fall of Macedon? Some may say that the comets don't mean anything but it is strange that it happened twice, both on the eve of the fall of great Empires

[@stuka80]

what do you mean Greece didn't put up a fight? They did, it took 3 Macedonian wars for Rome to officially subjugate the area, and even more wars against the other Hellenistic kingdoms like Mithradatic war and the wars against the Seleucids.

[@raulpetrascu2696]

Aside from the very brief and uncharacteristic united front against the Persian invasion (which then devolved back to war) the Greek states were always fighting between eachother. The only time since that they were together was under the domination of the Macedonian Empire, rather than something they decided of their genuine free will e.g. Thebes was destroyed, Athens continued to revolt. Once the almighty power of Macedon was gone from the long infighting after the death of Alexander then they went back to bickering, revolting and trying to increase their own power. By the time the Romans got there, despite their losses in the war with Carthage, they simply employed divide and conquer. No doubt, if Phillip or Perseus allied with Antiochus and the Aetolians, and he actually listened to his then advisor Hannibal or even just coordinated between eachother they could've put up a proper resistance. But instead Phillip joined Rome, Antiochus lost momentum, the Aetolians overextended..they fought and lost one by one

[@raulpetrascu2696]

​@@gerardjagroo"Nova stella, novus rex" -William the Conqueror on seeing Haley's Comet as he was invading England. There was also one (Haley's) at Atilla's defeat at the Catalaunian Plains that supposedly brought the disintegration of the Hunnic Empire But in the video it describes a lunar eclipse at Pydna, not a comet

[@gerardjagroo]

@@raulpetrascu2696 Yeah eclipse not comet. But it's weird these stellar phenomenon are seen on the eve of great changes in the world order

[@valkazakov615]

The artwork is wrong, medieval ships and wrong roman armor (at 9:41). Its not the first time on this channel.😢 Im out!

[@HoH]

Those are supposed to be Macedonians.

[@valkazakov615]

​@HoH my apologies, I reacted too fast. What about the ships? They look medieval, am I wrong? Thanks!

[@ParleLeVu]

"The Romans only lost 150". Bull effing crap.

[@bartomiejzakrzewski7220]

Roman war propaganda. Macedonians ivn in their twilight was not a bunch of pussies but fully professional army. Hannibal in his greatest victories against rome lost 10-15 % of his army

[@ParleLeVu]

@@bartomiejzakrzewski7220 I do believe Hannibal also pushed an agenda, or at least his supporters did. It's extremely hard to fight with and against heavy infantry without both sides taking significant losses. Fine, sometimes in history an army routed early and got chopped down whilst running, but it seems like half the battles on Kings and Generals end this way which is impossible to believe. And every battle involving the Romans seem to have an exaggeration of some kind.

[@World3mpir3]

Such poor leadership, discipline and tactics by Macedonia.

[@maskinisten019]

Do Roman-illyrian wars 👍. Ps. Slavs this content has nothing to do with you. You invaded the balkans in the 7th century.

[@lilestojkovicii6618]

Why tf would Slavs have anything to do with it

[@eliteviktor3]

It was a false mule operation, lol

[@Raphael-pt7rx]

gg

[@stefanvella9807]

ROMA CAPUT MUNDI

[@612ent7]

Why u talking like that thou

[@jothegreek]

Try to remeber that phalanx worked with a strong cavarly flanking the enemy .

[@marekvlk1421]

If Alexander was still alive Rome wasn’t.

[@lilestojkovicii6618]

Nah Rome wasn't Persia They will eventually prevail like how they did in Punic wars Tho Alexander would damage them significantly cause his phalanx was perfect unlike the latter Hellenistic states

[@marekvlk1421]

No way, In Punic wars they was more powerfull on land from start, Alexander was master of improvization and didn’t lost single battle, Romans was good in teaching from mistakes but Alexander was conqueror, Punic kings wasn’t.

[@marekvlk1421]

No way, In Punic wars they was more powerfull on land from start, Alexander was master of improvization and didn’t lost single battle, Romans was good in teaching from mistakes but Alexander was conqueror, Punic kings wasn’t.

[@marekvlk1421]

No way, In Punic wars they was more powerfull on land from start, Alexander was master of improvization and didn’t lost single battle, Romans was good in teaching from mistakes but Alexander was conqueror, Punic kings wasn’t.

[@marekvlk1421]

No way, In Punic wars they was more powerfull on land from start, Alexander was master of improvization and didn’t lost single battle, Romans was good in teaching from mistakes but Alexander was conqueror, Punic kings wasn’t.

[@eodyn7]

I wish history youtube channels would stop using ai art. It's terrible and inaccurate.

[@charlesjohnson6777]

I wish Rome lost. Go Macedonia 🇲🇰