179. The union of Italy under Roman headship had made
Rome by 265 B.C. the first of Mediterranean powers. But her
superiority to possible rivals in the vital elements of strength was
as yet not understood. The end of the long duel with Carthage
left her clearly the head of the West. But it was not yet plain to
eastern powers that Rome could if she chose overthrow them and
take her place as mistress of the East. Only a loyal combination
of the eastern powers offered any chance of opposing permanently
her eastward progress once begun. But the East was the East.
The great monarchies, mutually jealous, could not combine, and
the independent Greek states viewed the kings with suspicion.
Therefore the wars from 200 to 168 B.C. ended by establishing
Rome as paramount in the whole Mediterranean. And her
control in the East became effective more quickly than in the
West. The West had to be conquered piecemeal by long
wasteful wars. The East was the scene of a few great decisive
battles, but the extension of Roman dominion was achieved quite
as much by diplomacy as by the sword.

180. The wars of the period 200-168 may be arranged thus

181. The situation in the East. To begin with Greece.
Few single city-states now remained. Athens was living on her

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