Bible Dictionary
PERSEUS
Perseus was the last king of Macedonia. Rome defeated and captured him at Pydna in 168 BC, an event remembered in 1 Maccabees as part of Rome’s growing fame.
Definition
Perseus was the last king of Macedonia and the son and successor of Philip III. He came to the throne in 178 BC, fought Rome from 171 BC, and was defeated and captured at Pydna in 168 BC by Lucius Aemilius Paulus. Macedonia soon became a Roman province.
Biblical Usage
In 1 Maccabees, the conquest of Perseus, king of Chittim, is included among the achievements that made the fame of Rome known to Judas.
Historical Background
Perseus was taken to Rome to appear in his conqueror’s triumph, was spared, and died in captivity. Chittim, originally connected with Citium in Cyprus, had come in Jewish usage to include the coasts of Greece and is here applied to Macedonia.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>pur'-sus, pur'-se-us (Perseus): In 1 Macc 8:5 the conquest of "Perseus, king of the Citims" (the Revised Version (British and American) "king of Chittim") was part of the "fame of the Romans" which reached the ears of Judas. This Perseus, the son and successor of Philip III of Macedonia, came to the throne in 178 BC and was the last king of Maccedonia. In 171 BC began the war with Rome which ended in his disastrous defeat and capture at Pydna, 168 BC (to which 1 Macc 8:5 refers), by L. Aemilius Paulus. Macedonia soon became a Roman province. Perseus was led to Rome to grace the triumph of his conqueror, by whose clemency he was spared, and died in captivity at Rome (Polyb. xxix. 17; Livy xliv. 40 ff).</p><p>Kittim or Chittim, properly of the people of the town of Citium in Cyprus, then signifying Cyprians, and extended by Jewish writers (Ge 10:4; Nu 24:24; Isa 23:1; Jer 2:10; Eze 27:6; Da 11:30; Josephus, Ant, I, vi) to include the coasts of Greece generally, is here applied to Maccdonia. In 1 Macc 1:1 Macedonia (or Greece) is called "the land of Chittim."</p><p>S. Angus</p>