e formidable to
Greece. After the conclusion of the peace with the AEtolians Philip
prepared a large fleet, which he employed to watch the movements of the
Romans, and in the following year (216) he concluded a treaty with
Hannibal, which, among other clauses, provided that the Romans should
not be allowed to retain their conquests on the eastern side of the
Adriatic. He even meditated an invasion of Italy, and with that view
endeavoured to make himself master of Apollonia and Oricum. But though
he succeeded in taking the latter city, the Romans surprised his camp
whilst he was besieging Apollonia, and compelled him to burn his ships
and retire. Meanwhile Philip had acted in a most arbitrary manner in
the affairs of Greece; and when Aratus remonstrated with him respecting
his proceedings, he got rid of his former friend and counsellor by
means of a slow and secret poison (B.C. 213).

In B.C., 209 the Achaeans, being hard pressed by the AEtolians, were
again induced to call in the aid of Philip. The spirit of the Achaeans
was at this time revived by Philopoemen, one of the few noble
characters of the period, and who has been styled by Plutarch "the last
of the Greeks." He was a native of Megalopolis in Arcadia, and in 208
was elected Strategus of the league. In both these posts Philopoemen
made great alterations and improvements in the arms and discipline of
the Achaean forces, which he assimilated to those of the Macedonian
phalanx. These reforms, as well as the public spirit with which he had
inspired the Achaeans were attended with the most beneficial results.
In 207 Philopoemen gained at Mantinea a signal victory over the
Lacedaemonians, who had joined the Roman alliance; 4000 of them were
left upon the field, and among them Machanidas who had made himself
tyrant of Sparta. This decisive battle, combined with the withdrawal
of the Romans, who, being desirous of turning their undivided attention
towards Carthage, had made peace with Philip (205), secured for a few
years the tranquillity of Greece. It also raised the fame of
Philopoemen to its highest point; and in the next Nemean festival,
being a second time general of the league, he was hailed by the
assembled Greeks as the liberator of their country.

Upon the conclusion of the second Punic war the Romans renewed their
enterprises in Greece, and declared war against Philip (B.C. 200). For
some time the war lingered on without any decided success on either