Pyrrhic War

The Pyrrhic War (290-275 BCE) was a series of wars named after Pyrrhus, the Greek King of Epirus.
Pyrrhus brought an army with war elephants to assist the city of Tarentum against the Roman army.

The Romans had won the Samnite Wars but as their Fleet passed Taranto (Tarentum), the Tarentine Fleet emerged and attacked them, leading the Romans to declare War. Tarentum then asked Pyrrhus for assistance.
Up to this time, Rome had never engaged any of the Greek cities in war.

- Four battles took place, during which Pyrrhus used War Elephants:
Battle of Heraclea (280 BCE)
- Pyrrhus defeated the Roman Army.
Battle of Asculum (279 BCE)
- It is uncertain whether the Romans or Pyrrhus won this battle but it gave rise to the expression, a Pyrrhic victory.
Sicilian Campaign (278-275 BCE)
- The Carthaginians became concerned about Pyrrhus’ influence in Sicily and joined the Romans.
Battle of Beneventum (275 BCE)
- The Romans defeated the army of Pyrrhus, ending the War.

This war led to the expression, a Pyrrhic victory, meaning a War that has been won, but leaving the victor in a very weakened state.
The expression is derived from Plutarch who described a speech by Pyrrhus were he admitted that after the second battle, the Battle of Asculum, that one more victory at such a high cost in men would ruin his army.
He was comparing the irreplaceable losses of his own men to the endless flow of new recruits into the Roman Army.

The Romans defeated Pyrrhus and the Greek Alliance, leading to the annexation of Magna Graecia.
This gave Rome control over Italy and it was now in a powerful position to challenge Carthage for control over Sicily, leading to the Punic Wars (264-146 BCE).