Battle of Callinicus

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Battle of Callinicus
Part of the Third Macedonian War
Thessaly during Third Macedonian War
Date 171 BC Location By a hill called Callinicus near the Roman camp at Tripolis Larisaia, Thessaly Result Greek victory[1]
Belligerents
Macedonia Odrysian kingdom Allied Thracians	Roman Republic Kingdom of Pergamon
Commanders and leaders
Perseus of Macedon Cotys IV	Licinius Crassus Eumenes II
Casualties and losses
60 40 infantry killed 20 cavalry killed	2,800 2,000 infantry killed 200 cavalry killed 600 captured

The Battle of Callinicus (Greek: μάχη του Καλλίνικου) was fought in 171 BC between Macedonia and the Roman Republic near a hill called Callinicus, close to the Roman camp at Tripolis Larisaia, five kilometres north of Larissa, the capital of Thessaly. It was fought during the first year of the Third Macedonian War (171-168 BC). The Macedonians were led by their king, Perseus of Macedon, while the Roman force was led by the consul Publius Licinius Crassus. The Macedonians were supported by Cotys IV, the king of the Odrysian kingdom (the largest state in Thrace) and his forces, Cretan mercenaries, and auxiliaries of mixed nationalities. The Romans had their Italian allies with them and were supported by soldiers provided by Eumenes II of Pergamon, as well as a force of Thessalian cavalry and Greek allies. The battle saw the deployment of troops with cavalry intermixed with light infantry. Although the battle was actually inconclusive because Perseus withdrew before it came to a conclusion, it was considered a Macedonian victory because the Romans suffered heavy casualties.