said that the two armies were almost equally matched in cavalry numbers. Macedon Livy tells us that the main part of the Macedonian line consisted of mixed groups of cavalry and light infantry: Perseus' Agema (a detachment of elite troops with both heavy and light infantry) and the "sacred" (elite) cavalry who held the centre with 400 slingers and javelin throwers in front of them. The whole of Cotys IV's Thracian cavalry and light infantry held the left wing while in the right wing there were the Macedonian cavalry and the Cretan infantry. The two wings were flanked by the King's cavalry and auxiliaries from various nationalities. Rome Similarly, the Romans had cavalry intermixed with light infantry on the wings, but no heavy infantry. Publius Licinius sent out only the cavalry and light infantry. The right wing had the Roman light infantry and the whole of the cavalry of the Italian allies. The left wing had the cavalry and the light infantry of the various allied Greek cities. The centre had a selected body of volunteer cavalry and 200 Gauls and 300 Crytians brought by Eumenes II in front of it. A Thessalian cavalry of 400 was arrayed at a short distance in front of the left wing. These forces were lined up in front of the rampart of the Roman camp. Publius Licinius kept the heavy infantry lined up behind the rampart; that is, inside the Roman camp. The battle The battle was started by the slingers and the javelin throwers. The Thracians then launched a furious charge against the Italian cavalry, which was thrown into disorder. Perseus charged with the centre, dislodged the Greek allies of Rome and pushed them back. The allied Thessalian cavalry, which had been kept in reserve, formed a junction with the troops of Eumenes II at the rear, keeping their ranks unbroken and affording a safe retreat for the disorderly flight of the Italian cavalry. The intensity of the Macedonian attack began to slacken off, and the Thessalians ventured forward to protect the fleeing Roman foot soldiers. Perseus's troops had become spread out in their pursuit of fugitives, and thus did not try to come close to the enemy which was advancing in compact formation. The Macedonian phalanx now advanced without having been ordered to do so by Perseus, and the Roman heavy infantry came out of the camp. On seeing it advancing,