Tuesday, January 30, 2007

What's in a name?

PETRAEUS: A friend of Philip V., King of Macedonia, who was sent by that monarch to receive the submission of the Lacedaemonians, and confirm them in their allegiance to Macedonia.

Philip V of Macedon was an empire builder; he eagerly sought to extend Macedonian control over more territory. In Macedonia...young Philip V anxious to prove himself became entangled in all kinds of Balkan intrigues…[He] succeeded Antigonus, assuming the title hegemon. As the new hegemon he felt it was his duty to appropriately respond to the Aetolian aggression so he declared war on them.