Full citation – Référence complète:
Zelinskyi, A. “The visit of the Roman embassy to Egypt in 200 BC. An interpretation of Livy’s account”. Živa Antika / Antiquité Vivante 74.1-2 (2024), pp. 183–190.

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.47054/ZIVA24741-2183z

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Abstract. – In Book XXXI of his History of Rome from Its Foundation, Livy mentions the visit of Roman envoys to Egypt, dated to 200 BC. According to the historian, the Romans expressed their gratitude to the Ptolemies for the support they provided to the Republic during the most critical period of the Second Punic War. This expression of gratitude can be interpreted as a subtle hint that Egypt’s later foreign policy had been detrimental to Roman interests. This stance allowed Rome to effectively abandon Ptolemy V to his fate during the Fifth Syrian War.
Key words. – State of the Ptolemies, Fifth Syrian war, Second Macedonian war, Roman diplomacy, Livy.