This study reassesses the Third Roman–Macedonian War by attributing Macedon’s defeat not to Roman tactical superiority but to King Perseus’s poor leadership. Drawing on primary accounts, Wrightson shows that Perseus’s hesitation, misuse of combined arms, and defensive posture,especially at Pydna,undermined the offensive strengths of the phalanx and cavalry. His refusal to hire additional Gallic horsemen further ceded the initiative. The result is a well-researched analysis that offers fresh insight into this decisive conflict.