nd at Thermopylae; and, being overtaken by them near Scarphea, in
Locris, he was totally defeated, and never again heard of. Diaeus, who
succeeded him as Strategus, displayed rather more energy and courage,
and made preparations to defend Corinth. Metellus had hoped to have had
the honor of bringing the war to a conclusion, and had almost reached
Corinth, when the Consul L. Mummius landed on the Isthmus and assumed
the command. The struggle was soon brought to a close. Diaeus was
defeated in battle; and Corinth was immediately evacuated, not only by
the troops of the League, but also by the greater part of the
inhabitants. On entering the city, Mummius put to the sword the few
males who remained, sold the women and children as slaves, and, having
earned away all its treasures, consigned it to the flames (B.C. 146).
Corinth was filled with masterpieces of ancient art; but Mummius was so
insensible to their surpassing excellence as to stipulate with those who
contracted to convey them to Italy that, if any were lost in the
passage, they should be replaced by others of equal value! Mummius then
employed himself in chastising and regulating the whole of Greece; and
ten commissioners were sent from Rome to settle its future condition.
The whole country, to the borders of Macedonia and Epirus, was formed
into a Roman province, under the name of Achaia, derived from that
confederacy which had made the last struggle for political existence.
The Roman commissioners then proceeded northward, and also formed
Macedonia into a province. Polybius, who had hastened to Greece
immediately after the capture of Corinth, exerted all his influence to
alleviate the misfortunes of his countrymen, and to procure for them
favorable terms. As a friend of Scipio he was received by the Roman
commissioners with great distinction, and obtained from them a
relaxation of some of the most severe enactments which had been made
against the Achaeans.

Metellus and Mummius both triumphed on their return to Rome, the former
taking the surname of Macedonicus, the latter that of Achaicus.

Carthage, so long the rival of Rome, had fallen in the same year as
Corinth. The reforms introduced by Hannibal after the battle of Zama had
restored some degree of prosperity to the state; and, though the Roman
party obtained the supremacy after he had been compelled to fly to
Antiochus, the commercial activity of the Carthaginians restored to the
city much of its former