| 
							 Perseus (Greek Περσεύς, Ancient Greek Περσέως) 
							was the last king of the Antigonid dynasty, who 
							ruled the successor state in Macedon created upon 
							the death of Alexander the Great. He also has the 
							distinction of being the last of the line, after 
							losing the Battle of Pydna on 22 June 168 BC; 
							subsequently Macedon came under Roman rule. In 179 BC Philip V of Macedon died. In the 
							previous year Philip had his pro-Roman son Demetrius 
							executed. Perseus had been jealous of Demetrius' 
							success as ambassador to Rome and had convinced 
							their father to have him poisoned as a potential 
							usurper. The Romans favoured Demetrius, and Perseus' 
							role in killing Demetrius did not endear him to Rome 
							when he took the throne. One of his first acts on becoming king was to 
							renew the treaty with Rome. Yet, Perseus' other 
							actions troubled Rome. His interference in the 
							affairs of his neighbours, his armed visit to 
							Delphi, his avoidance of the Roman ambassadors to 
							Macedonia, and his dynastic marriages all gave Rome 
							cause for concern. Soon Rome and Perseus went to war 
							in the Third Macedonian War (171-168 BC). Although 
							Perseus had some initial success, the war ended with 
							the King's surrender to the Roman general Lucius 
							Aemilius Paullus after his decisive defeat at the 
							Battle of Pydna, and his eventual imprisonment in 
							Rome. The Antigonid kingdom was dissolved, and 
							replaced with four republics. Andriscus of Macedon 
							broke off the Roman rule for about a year, but was 
							defeated in 148 BC by the Romans. In 146 BC, the 
							four republics were dissolved, and Macedon 
							officially became the Roman province of Macedonia. In June 2005, the tomb of Perseus of Macedon was 
							rediscovered along the Via Valeria near Magliano de' 
							Marsi (L'Aquila) by representatives of the Italian 
							Ministry of Culture, as well as a Macedonian 
							archeological delegation.Preceded by 
								Philip V of Macedon 
							
							
								King of Macedon 
								179 BC–168 BC |