BC210-191 Terra Cotta Soldiers and Punic Wars

In the twenty years from 210-191 BC the first Emperor of China, Shi Huang, died and was buried with 8,000 life-size terra cotta soldiers (pictured); the Second Punic War ended in 202 BC; the Second Macedonian war started in 200 BC; and the Seleucid War started in 192 BC.

With his brother Hasdrubal's death, and without backup from Carthage, Hannibal was losing the war in Italy and Spain. Scipio captured the local Carthaginian cities in Spain, made several alliances with local rulers, and then invaded Africa itself.

With Carthage now directly threatened, Hannibal returned to Africa to face Scipio. At the final Battle of Zama in 202 BC the Romans defeated Hannibal and the Second Punic War ended.

Carthage sued for peace, and Rome agreed on condition that Carthage give up its foreign colonies, pay a huge indemnity, and desist from forming an army or navy again.

Hannibal took a leading role in rebuilding Carthage, and succeeded so well that a vengeful Rome forced him to flee to Asia Minor in 195 BC, where he served several local kings as a military adviser, finally serving in the court of the Seleucid Empire.

The Second Macedonian War (200-196 BC) broke out after ambassadors from Pergamon and Rhodes brought evidence before the Roman Senate in 201 BC that Philip V of Macedon and Antiochus III of the Seleucid Empire had become allies.

Rome launched a second Macedonian war with aid from its Greek allies. It was an indecisive conflict until the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BC made Rome the victor.

By the Treaty of Tempea, Rome forbade Philip V to interfe with affairs outside his borders. It was a condition he adhered to for the rest of his life.

The Seleucid War broke out shortly after, in 192 BC. It was caused by the Greek Aetolian League asking Antiochus III of Seleucid Syria for assistance in ridding them of Roman interference.

The Aetolian League was unhappy with the amount of territory ceded to them by Rome in return for their aid in the Second Macedonian war, and wanted to rid Greece of the Romans.

Because Antiochus III had given Hannibal shelter, Rome responded to the arrival of Antiochus's small army by sending a force of 30,000 troops under Scipio Africanus back into Greece, driving out the Seleucids.

The first Roman victory was at Thermopylae in 191 BC, and more were to follow.

BC190-171 Antiochus III of Seleucid Syria

In the twenty years from 190-171 BC the Roman Republic was still embroiled in the Seleucid War fighting Antiochus III (pictured) and when that war finished in 188 BC, the Third Macedonian War broke out in 172 BC.

The Seleucid War had started in 192 BC and would continue until 188 BC and was caused by the Greek Aetolian League asking Antiochus III of Seleucid Syria for assistance in ridding them of Roman interference.

The Aetolian League was unhappy with the amount of territory ceded to them by Rome in return for their aid in the Second Macedonian war, and wanted to rid Greece of the Romans.

Because Antiochus III had given Hannibal shelter, Rome responded to the arrival of Antiochus's small army by sending a force of 30,000 troops under Scipio Africanus back into Greece, driving out the Seleucids.

After an earlier victory at Thermopylae, Rome finally defeated Antiochus III at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC,

Antiochus III was forced to sign the Treaty of Apamea in 188 BC which ceded Seleucid territory to Rome and Pergamon. A war indemnity of 15,000 talents of silver was also imposed.

In 183 BC, after the Battle of Magnesia, Hannibal committed suicide to avoid being captured by the Romans.

After the Seleucid War finished in 188 BC, trouble broke out in Macedon.

Upon Philip's of Macedon's death in 179 BC his son, Perseus of Macedon, attempted to restore Macedon's international influence, and moved aggressively against his neighbors.

When Perseus was implicated in an assassination plot against an ally of Rome, the Senate declared the third Macedonian War in 172 BC.