Rhodes Prepares to Assist Rome
Meanwhile Tiberius Claudius and Aulus Postumius
note
had been engaged on a visitation of the islands
and Greek cities in Asia, and had spent the
longest time in Rhodes; though the Rhodians
at that time did not require any supervision, for
the prytanis that year was Agesilochus, a man of high rank,
who had once been on an embassy to Rome. Even before
the legates came, as soon as it became clear that the Romans
intended to go to war with Perseus he had urged his people
to throw in their fortunes with those of Rome; and, among
other things, had counselled them to repair forty ships, in order
that, if any occasion for using them should arise, it should not
find them still in the midst of preparations, but ready to
answer to the call and to carry out their resolve at once. By
stating these facts to the Roman envoys, and showing them
the preparations visibly progressing, he let them return to
Rome in a high state of satisfaction with Rhodes. . . .
