After the battle of Pydna (168BC), Aimilios Pavlos decided to take measures in order to nullify Macedonia's strength, in the military, political and economical areas:

• In the military area, he proceeded with the windup of the Macedonian army, extermination of the military leaders and destruction of the Macedonian weapons, by burning them in Amphipolis. A number of weapons wasn't destroyed and were carried to Rome, for the triumphant pomp. Also the Macedonians were responsible for their safety against the barbarian invasions.
• In the political area, he divided Macedonia into 4 parts, which were named Merides (Tito Livius, XLV,29). That area was the last land of the kingdom of Macedonia, as it was defeated by the Romans, and it is considered as historical Macedonia, though, to be more accurate, the northern part of it is ancient Paeonia:
  1. 1^st Merida: Between Strymonas and Nestos rivers, up to the Eastern of Nestos lands, without the towns of Aenos, Maroneia and Avdera. The capital was Amphipolis.
  2. 2^nd Merida: Between Strymonas and Axios rivers, with Eastern of Axios Paeonia. The capital was Thessaloniki.
  3. 3^rd Merida: Old Lower-Macedonia (Vottiaia, Pieria, Amphaxitida, Almopia) with the western of Axios Paeonia. The capital was Pella.
  4. 4^th Merida: Old Upper-Macedonia (between the Vora and Vermio mountains). The capital was Pelagonia.
  In order to prevent the creation of aristocratic class, the Romans forbade to the residents of the Meridas the possession of land and house outside their Merida (commercium agrorum aedi ficiorumque, Tito Livius XLV,29,10). Also the marriages between people of different Meridas were forbidden (ius conubii).
• In the economical area, he forbade the exploitation of the forests and mines. An exception was the mining of cooper and iron. The Royal lands, became Roman public lands (uger publicus). The trade of salt was fobidden. Each Merida should use only the salt produced in its own salt-pans. Only the the 4th Merida had permission to import salt from the 3rd Merida, since it had no coastline and could not produce it.

The result of such a behavior, was the anger of the Macedonians, who were too proud to accept that kind of humiliation. That resulted in many revolutions against the Romans:

• In 164BC a man named Damasippos, slaughtered all the Roman ambassadors of the 3rd Merida, while they were meeting in Fakos (Pella's acropolis), in order to find a solution for the trouble.
• In 151BC a man named Andriskos appeared, and claimed to be the son of Perseas, Philippos (that's why he was named Pseudophilippos). He attempted to take over the country, but failed, and escaped to the king of Syria Dimitrios, who handed him to Rome. While being transported to Italy, he escaped to Thrace and invaded Macedonia, with the support of the Thracians and their king Tiri. He soon took over the whole of Macedonia, and renounced himself as king of Macedonia (149BC). After defeating the Roman army (praetor Yuventius), he became ruler of Thessalia. The Romans finally defeated him in 148BC in Pydna.

All that made the Romans finally realize that Aimilios Pavlos' measures were unrealistc. In 148BC the state of the Meridas was altered and Macedonia became a Roman Eparchy/Province (Provincia Macedonia) with capital Thessaloniki. Epirus and Thessalia were later added to that province, and later on the rest of Hellas and parts of Illyria. The security of the country, against the barbaric invasions, was now in the hands of the Romans.

Map of the Roman province "Provincia Macedonia"

The barbaric invaders were:

• From the East the Thracian tribes Vissoi, Maidoi, Odryses, Trivalloi.
• From the North the Illyrian tribes of Dardanians and Parthines, the Vastarnes and the Galatic tribe of Skordiskoi.

Until 77BC the Romans didn't prove themselves much successful against the barbarians, because they followed a defensive policy against them. In 77BC vice-consul Appius Klavdius Poulher arrived in the Province and followed an offensive policy against the barbarians, defeating the Maidoi, Odryses, Dardanians and Skordiskoi. In 72BC his successor Gaeius Skrivonius of Kourion, occupied the lands of the Dardanians, and expanded the province even up to Danube river. By 28BC the barbarians were totally defeated. With the formation of the new Roman Provinces of Dalmatia (9AD), Moesia and Thrace, the Province of Macedonia acquired its physical dimensions, and its safety, since it was now an inner Roman Province, protected by the new Provinces. In the mid-3rd century we have the invasions of the Goths in Macedonia, so the Romans enforced their military powers in the Province.

During the Roman years, we have the formation of small organizations ("topika koina") in Upper and the between Strymonas and Nestos Macedonia, with the unification of kommes and towns. The connection of those organizations leaded into the formation of the Koinon of Makedonon, probably between 150AD and 200AD. In the excavated inscriptions, the leader of the Koinon of Makedonon is referred to as "Archpriest of Sevaston". After the middle of the 3rd centrury, we find the title "Makedoniarchis" for him. A coin of the Koinon of Makedonon is presented in the page with the ancient Macedonian coins.