lling all debts； and by making a new distribution of lands； and with this view he relinquished all his own property； as well as that of his family； for the public good。 But Agis perished in this attempt； and was put to death as a traitor to his order。 A few years afterwards； however； Cleomenes； the son of Leonidas； succeeded in effecting the reforms which had been contemplated by Agis； as well as several others which regarded military discipline。 The effect of these new measures soon became visible in the increased success of the Spartan arms。 Aratus was so hard pressed that he was compelled to solicit the assistance of the Macedonians。 Both Antigonus Gonatas and his son Demetrius II。who had reigned in Macedonia from 239 to 229 B。C。 were now dead； and the government was administered by Antigonus Doson； as guardian of Philip； the youthful son of Demetrius II。 Antigonus Doson was the grandson of Demetrius Poliorcetes； and the nephew of Antigonus Gonatas。 The Macedonians compelled him to accept the crown； but he remained faithful to his trust as guardian of Philip； whose mother he married； and though he had children of his own by her； yet Philip succeeded him on his death。 It was to Antigonus Doson that Aratus applied for assistance； and though Cleomenes maintained his ground for some time； he was finally defeated by Antigonus Doson in the fatal battle of Sellasia in Laconia （B。C。 221）。 The army of Cleomenes was almost totally annihilated； he himself was obliged to fly to Egypt； and Sparta； which for many centuries bad remained unconquered； fell into the hands of the victor。
The succession of Macedonian kings from Alexander the Great to the extinction of the monarchy will be seen from the following table：
B。C。 Philip III。 Arrhidaeus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 323…316 Cassander 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 316…296 Philip IV。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 296…295 Demetrius I。 Poliorcetes 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 294…287 Pyrrhus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 287…286 Lysimachus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 286…280 Ptolemy Ceraunus and others 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 280…277 Antigonus Gonatas 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 277…239 Demetrius II 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 239…229 Antigonus Doson 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 229…220 Philip V 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 220…178 Perseus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 178…167
In the following gear Antigonus was succeeded by Philip V。； the son of Demetrius II。； who was then about sixteen or seventeen years of age。 His youth encouraged the AEtolians to make predatory incursions into the Peloponnesus。 That people were a species of freebooters； and the terror of their neighbours； yet they were united； like the Achaeans； in a confederacy or league。 The Aetolian League was a confederation of tribes instead of cities； like the Achaean。 The diet or council of the league； called the Panaetolicum； assembled every autumn； generally at Thermon； to elect the strategus and other officers； but the details of its affairs were conducted by a committee called APOCLETI； who seem to have formed a sort of permanent council； The AEtolians had availed themselves of the disorganised state of Greece consequent upon the death of Alexander to extend their power； and had gradually made themselves masters of Locris； Phocis； Boeotia； together with portions of Acarnania； Thessaly； and Epirus。 Thus both the Amphictyonic Council and the oracle of Delphi were in their power。 They had early wrested Naupactus from the Achaeans； and had subsequently acquired several Peloponnesian cities。
Such was the condition of the AEtolians at the time of Philip's accession。 Soon after that event we find them； under the leadership of Dorimachus； engaged in a series of freebooting expeditions in Messenia； and other parts of Peloponnesus。 Aratus marched to the assistance of the Messenians at the head of the Achaean forces； but was totally defeated in a battle near Caphyae。 The Achaeans now saw no hope of safety except through the assistance of Philip。 That young monarch was ambitious and enterprising possessing considerable military ability and much political sagacity。 He readily listened to the application of the Achaeans； and in 220 entered into an alliance with them。 The war which ensued between the AEtolians on the one side； and the Achaeans； assisted by Philip； on the other； and which lasted about three years； has been called the Social War。 Philip gained several victories over the AEtolians； but he concluded a treaty of peace with them in 217； because he was anxious to turn his arms against another and more formidable power。
The great struggle now going on between Rome and Carthage attracted the attention of the whole civilized world。 If was evident that Greece； distracted by intestine quarrels； must be soon swallowed up by whichever of those great states might prove successful； and of the two； the ambition of the Romans； who had already gained a footing on the eastern shores of the Adriatic was by far the more 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 side； but in 198 the consul T。 Quinctius Flamininus succeeded in gaining over the Achaean league to the Roman alliance； and as the AEtolians had previously deserted Philip； both those powers fought for a short time on the same side。 In 197 the struggle was brought to a termination by the battle of Cynoscephalae； near Scotussa； in Thessaly； which decided the fate of the Macedonian monarchy。 Philip was obliged to sue for peace； and in the following year （196） a treaty was ratified by which the Macedonians were compelled to renounce their supremacy； to withdraw their garrisons from the Grecian towns； to surrender their fleet； and to pay 1000 talents for the expenses of the war。 At the ensuing Isthmian games Flamininus solemnly proclaimed the freedom of the Greeks； and was received by them with overwhelming joy and gratitude。
The AEtolians； dissatisfied with these arrangements； persuaded Antiochus III。； king of Syria； to enter into a league against the Romans。 He passed over into Greece with a wholly inadequate force； and was defeated by the Romans at Thermopylae （B。C。 191）。 The AEtolians were now compelled to make head against the Romans by themselves。 After some ineffectual attempts at resistance they were reduced to sue for peace； which they at length obtained； but on the most humiliating conditions （B。C。 189）。 They were required to acknowledge the supremacy of Rome； to renounce all the conquests they had recently made； to pay an indemnity of 500 talents and to engage in future to aid the Romans in their wars。 The power of the AEtolian league was thus for ever crushed； though it seems to have existed； in name at least； till a much later period。
The Achaean league still subsisted but was destined before long to experience the same fate as its rival。 At first； indeed； it enjoyed the protection of the Romans； and even acquired an extension of members through their influence； but this protectorate involved a state of almost absolute dependence。 Philopoemen also had succeeded； in the year 192； in adding Sparta to the league； which now embraced the whole of Peloponnesus。 But Sparta having displayed symptoms of insubordination； Philopoemen marched against it in 188； and captured the city； when he put to death eighty of the leading men； razed the walls and fortifications； abolished the institutions of Lycurgus； and compelled the citizens to adopt the democratic constitution of the Achaeans。 Meanwhile the Romans regarded with satisfaction the internal dissensions of Greece； which they foresaw would only render her an easier prey； and neglected to answer the appeals of the Spartans for protection。 In 183 the Messenians； un