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Some time ago a person asked on this forum about possibility of Macedonian victory at Pydna, 168 BC.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/wi-romans-lose-battle-of-pydna.317755/

As a cynical person I believe nothing would change for Macedonia. There wouLd certainly be another large battle, and the newly sent Roman army, bigger than the previous one, would win. Kingdom of Macedonia would last about one year longer, King Perseus would make his walk of shame in Rome a little bit later...

And that always made me feel sad, as I love Hellenistic times and kingdoms and would love to see that world survive longer. Much longer.

But... there is always this one thing, one thought that follows me whenever I think about Pydna and 168 BC. If the Macedonians had won that battle, some other Hellenistic king would have been more lucky, getting more time and not meeting certain Roman emissary...

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168 BC, June-July

The news were spreading fast through eastern Mediterranean. Macedonian phalanx had proven it's might once again. At Pydna, the heirs of Philip and Alexander managed to stop the new superpower, the dreadful Romans.

Few hundred miles south the news reached Macedonian... well... Syro-macedonian camp at Eleusis. The siege of Alexandria was in it's decisive stage. All the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes needed was time. Whole Egypt, almost whole kingdom of Ptolemies belonged to him. Except the capital.

Antiochus never supposed Perseus and his phalanx would clash Roman legions. He even had one legion of his own - over 5 000 men trained and equipped in Roman style. They were here, a half of his elite Silver Shield Guard, in their chain mails... For now it wasn't that important. For now he had one goal: get Alexandria.

The war with Egypt had started over a year ago. At first he supported one Ptolemy against the other, one brother against the other, but now he was fighting for his own. The brothers were friends again. Or actually were not killing each other for the moment. Whatever. Just a few more days, few more weeks, and both biggest Macedonian realms would have one king. Antiochus Epiphanes' achievement would be regarded as one of the biggest in history. Save the Romans themselves, even if they get Macedonia soon...
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