The Romans are afraid for the balance…

Jason, as High Priest, scorning the traditional Jewish monotheism of the Pharisaic party, promotes Greek culture and religion throughout Judaea.

In return for a considerable sum, Antiochus has permitted Jason to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem and to introduce the Greek mode of educating young people.

Jason has reestablished Jerusalem as a Greek-style polis named after the king, Antioch-at-Jerusalem.

With the creation of Antioch, Jason has abandoned the ordinances given under Antiochus III, which defined the polity of the Judeans according to the Torah.

Jason's time as High Priest is brought to an abrupt end in 172 BCE when he sends Menelaus, the brother of Simon the Benjamite, to deliver the annual tribute money to Antiochus.

Although during the three years of his pontificate Jason has given many proofs of his attachment to the Hellenistic party, the zealous Hellenists of the stamp of the Tobiads, a Jewish or Ammonite faction, plot his overthrow, suspecting him of partiality to traditional Judaism.

Menelaus takes the opportunity to "outbid" Jason for the priesthood, resulting in Antiochus confirming Menelaus as the High Priest.

Jason flees Jerusalem and finds refuge in the land of the Ammonites, by which is probably meant the Nabataeans.

An officer named Sostrates is sent by Antiochus with a troop of Cyprian soldiers to subdue any opposition that might be attempted by the followers of the deposed Jason and to collect at the same time the sum Menelaus had promised.

Menelaus' first act is to seize the sacred vessels in the Temple stores in order to meet the obligations he has incurred.

This act comes to the ears of the deposed high priest Onias III, who publicly accuses Menelaus of robbing the Temple.

The latter, afraid of the consequences of this accusation, induces the king's lieutenant Andronicus, who had had his share of the plunder, to get rid of Onias before a formal complaint had been lodged with the king.

Accordingly, Onias is decoyed from the sanctuary at Daphne, in which he has sought refuge, and murdered.

Menelaus continues to plunder the treasures of the Temple until violence ensues, in which his brother Lysimachus meets his death.

He then brings before the king an accusation against the people of Jerusalem, that they are partisans of the Egyptians and persecute him only because he is opposed to their party intrigues.

This accusation causes the execution of several Jews who, although they had proved beyond any doubt that Menelaus and Lysimachus had desecrated the Temple, were sentenced to death.

The withdrawal of Roman legions in 194 BCE had not entailed the withdrawal of a Roman presence from the Hellenistic East.

On the contrary, according to Polybius, the Romans now are “displeased if all matters were not referred to them and if everything was not done in accordance with their decision.” One of Perseus’ first acts on becoming king had been to renew the treaty with Rome.

Yet, Perseus' other actions trouble Rome.

His interference in the affairs of his neighbors, his ousting of Roman ally Abrupolis from his territories, his armed visit to Delphi, his avoidance of the Roman ambassadors to Macedonia, and his dynastic marriages all give Rome cause for concern.

The Roman leadership has begun to worry that Perseus will destroy Roman political control in Greece and restore former Macedonian sovereignty over Greek states.

Although the actions of Perseus could be viewed as the behavior expected of a Hellenistic monarch, the Senate listens to the unfavorable interpretations of Perseus' enemies, who claim that the king's actions reveal an intent to attack Rome.

King Eumenes II of Pergamon, who hates Macedon, visits Rome to denounce Perseus for allegedly plotting aggressions in the East, accusing Perseus of trying to violate laws of other states and conditions of peace between Macedon and Rome.

The Romans had established their colony in Aquileia in 181 BCE and taken control of all Venetia in the north, thus expanding towards the Illyrian area from the northwest.

They had conquered Istria in the north of the eastern Adriatic coast, settled by tribe of Histri, in 177 BCE, while the Iapydes, the northern Liburnian neighbors, attacked Aquileia in 171 BCE, but these accidents have not involved the Liburnian territory.

The Liburnians probably keep away from direct conflicts with the Romans to safeguard their remaining naval activities.

Perseus wins the first struggle with Rome: the Battle of Callicinus, near Larissa, where he faces the army of the consul Publius Licinius Crassus.

The battle is notable for the prevalent role of cavalry and light infantry as a combined 'task force'.

Satisfied with the defeat of most of the deployed Roman forces, Perseus takes his general Euander's advice and has his forces retire before engaging the remaining heavy infantry.

His initial success against the Roman army in Thessaly in 171 does not alter the massive imbalance of power; the Romans again refuse the king's offer to negotiate.

Attalus of Pergamon, now around fifty, remains a loyal assistant to his brother Eumenes, commanding the Pergamene forces that are fighting beside the Romans in Greece.

The Seleucids and the Parthians vie for control of the independent Bactrian state.

In 170, Antiochus dispatches a force under Eucratides to conquer Bactria.

Parthia’s Mithridates I attacks Bactria’s frontiers while its ruler, Demetrius, is occupied with repelling the Seleucid invasion.

The causes of the Sixth Syrian War are obscure.

Eulaeus and Lenaeus, the two regents of the young king of Egypt Ptolemy VI Philometor, in 170 declare war on Antiochus.

In the same year, Ptolemy's younger siblings Ptolemy VIII Physcon and Cleopatra II are declared co-rulers in order to bolster the unity of Egypt.

Antiochus, taking advantage of Rome’s prosecution of the third Macedonian War, meanwhile forestalls the Egyptian expedition to Palestine by invading Egypt.

The Romans have problems with discipline in their army, and Roman commanders, who cannot find a way to successfully invade Macedonia, devote more effort to plunder than to the defeat of Perseus.

In a notorious incident, the praetor Lucius Hortensius anchors his fleet on the Thracian coast at Abdera, a city allied with Rome, and demands supplies; when the Abderitans ask to consult the Senate, Hortensius sacks the town, executes the leading citizens, and enslaves the rest.

When complaints reach the Senate, weak attempts are made to force the Roman commanders to make restitution.

The Epirote League, in the half-century of its existence as a federal state has steered an uneasy course during the conflicts between Rome and Macedonia, and in 170, during the Third Macedonian War, the league splits apart, the Molossians supporting Macedon, …

…the Chaones and …

…Thesproti siding with Rome.