Editing Battle of Cynoscephalae (section)

==Background==
The [[First Macedonian War]] (started due to an alliance between [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedon]] and [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]] against the Romans during the [[Second Punic War]] in 215 BC) had ended in a stalemate; between the Roman alliance with [[Aetolian League|Aetolia]] and the destruction of the Macedonian fleet early in the war, the Macedonians were unable to support Carthage and were forced into a defensive stance. A truce was signed between Macedonia and Rome in 205 BC leading to an uneasy peace. The Second Punic War would end not long after in 201 BC. Although Macedonia had limited effect in the Second Punic War, their alliance with Carthage would earn the ire of the Romans.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=History |first=Military |date=2018-12-07 |title=Cynoscephalae, 197 BC {{!}} The Past |url=https://the-past.com/feature/cynoscephalae-197-bc/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=the-past.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 202 BC, the [[Fifth Syrian War]] would break out, with the Macedonians allying with the [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucids]] in a pact to carve up [[Asia-Minor|Asia Minor]]. Philip's moves towards the city states in [[Thrace]], around the [[Dardanelles]] and later actions towards [[Rhodes]] and the [[Kingdom of Pergamon|Kingdom of Pergamum]] greatly disconcerted the two states. Although Rhodes and the Kingdom of Pergamum would later gain the upper hand against Philip, with a crushing defeat of his navy at the [[Battle of Chios (201 BC)|Battle of Chios]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle of Chios {{!}} Summary {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Chios-201-BCE |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> they were still concerned enough about Macedon to send envoys to Rome to try and convince them to join the war. Rome in turn sent envoys to Greece to form an anti-Macedonian coalition, which Philip took as a sign of weakness from Rome due to the fact the Second Punic War had only just ended. When Philip failed to give up on further conquests in the region, the [[Roman Senate]] and [[Roman Assembly|Assembly]] declared war, beginning the [[Second Macedonian War]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cynoscephalae (197 BCE) - Livius |url=https://www.livius.org/articles/battle/cynoscephalae-197-bce/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=www.livius.org}}</ref>

On 15 March 198 BC, new consuls took office, with command in Macedonia being handed to [[Titus Quinctius Flamininus]]. After arriving in Greece, Flamininus went to have a meeting with Philip to discuss the terms of peace, demanding nothing less than the complete withdrawal of Macedonian forces from all of Greece outside of the Macedonian homeland. Philip stormed out of the meeting, after which Flamininus began his campaign.<ref name=":0" />

By the start of 197 BC, Philip had lost most of his earlier conquests and had been set back to Macedonia and parts of [[Thessaly]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Battle of Cynoscephalae, 197 B.C. |url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_cynoscephalae_197.html |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=www.historyofwar.org}}</ref> In the spring of that year, Flamininus brought his army to Thessaly, with Philip marching his army south to meet him. The two initially camped nearby the city of [[Pherae]], holding skirmishes there. However, Philip's army was in need of food and level ground in order to deploy his [[phalanx]] (something the terrain was unsuitable for at Pherae), so he began marching his army westward towards the small town of [[Scotussa]] for its grain stores. They marched on the northern side of the slopes while the Romans followed on the southern side, these slopes being the [[Cynoscephalae Hills (Thessaly)|Cynoscephalae Hills]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Battle of Cynoscephalae {{!}} Roman-Macedonian War, 197 BCE {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Cynoscephalae |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>