[Sidenote:  B.C. 179 (a.u. 575)] IX, 22.—­Philip, king of Macedonia, had put to death his son Demetrius and was about to slay his other son Perseus, when death overtook him.  Because Demetrius had gained the affection of the Roman people through his sojourn as hostage and because he himself and the rest of the Macedonian people hoped that he would secure the kingdom after Philip was done with it, Perseus, who was his elder, became jealous of him and falsely reported him to be plotting against his father.  Thus Demetrius was forced to drink poison and perished.  Philip not long after ascertained the truth and desired to take measures against Perseus; he did not, however, possess sufficient strength and death overtook him.  Perseus succeeded to the kingdom.  The Romans confirmed his claims to it and renewed the compact of friendship enjoyed by his father.

In the period immediately following some events of importance took place, yet they were not of so vital a character that one should deem them worthy of record.  Still later Perseus put himself in the position of an enemy to the Romans, and in order to delay actual warfare until he should reach a state of preparation he sent envoys to Rome presumably to make a defence on the charges which were being pressed against him.  These messengers the Romans would not receive within the wall, but they transacted business with them in the space before the city; and no other answer was vouchsafed them than that they would send a consul with whom he might confer on whatever topics he pleased.  They also caused them to depart the same day, having given them guides to prevent their associating with anybody.  And Perseus was forbidden in the future to set foot on the soil of Italy.

The Romans next sent out Gnaeus Sicinius, a praetor, with a small force (they had not yet made ready their greater armament) and Perseus made a tentative invasion of Thessaly in which he won over the greater part of that country. [Sidenote:  B.C. 171 (a.u. 583)] When spring opened they sent Licinius Crassus against him as well as a praetor, Gaius Lucretius, in charge of the fleet.  The latter first encountered Perseus near Larissa and was worsted in a cavalry skirmish:  later, though, he got the best of him and Perseus accordingly retreated into Macedonia.  As for Crassus, he assailed the Greek cities which were held in subjection by Philip and was repulsed from the majority of them, although he did get possession of a few.  Some he razed to the ground and sold the captives.  When the inhabitants of Rome learned these details, they became indignant and later they imposed a money fine on Crassus, liberated the captured cities, and bought back from the purchasers such of their inhabitants as had been sold and were then found in Italy.