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Pyrrhus of Epirus: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Pyrrhus of Epirus
In 319 BC, a child named Pyrrhus entered the world within the rugged mountains of Epirus. His father Aeacides held only the title of prince while his grandfather Arrybas ruled as regent for the young King Neoptolemus. The infant's mother Phthia was a Thessalian noblewoman and daughter of General Menon. This boy would become a second cousin to Alexander the Great through their shared connection to Olympias. When Pyrrhus was merely two years old, his family fled northward after a rebellion erupted in Epirus. They sought refuge with Glaucias of the Taulantians, one of the largest Illyrian tribes. Beroea, the wife of Glaucias, raised the young prince as her own son. Cassander sent generals to capture Apollonia but could not force Glaucias to surrender the child. By 313 BC, Aeacides returned to reclaim his throne but died shortly after being wounded in battle. The boy who had been called flame-like or flammable by his name grew up without a kingdom.
Restoring A Throne
Glaucias invaded Epirus in 307 BC and placed the eleven-year-old Pyrrhus on the throne. Guardians ruled until he reached seventeen years of age. While attending a wedding in Illyria, Molossian rebels drove out Pyrrhus's supporters and restored Neoptolemus to power. Pyrrhus traveled to the Peloponnese where he served Demetrius Poliorcetes, his brother-in-law married to Deidamia. At the Battle of Ipsus in 302 BC, Pyrrhus fought alongside Demetrius against Antigonus Monophthalmus. He impressed Antigonus so greatly that the general reportedly said Pyrrhus would become the greatest commander if he lived long enough. Antigonus lost both the battle and his life while Pyrrhus continued serving Demetrius. In 298 BC, Ptolemy I Soter took Pyrrhus hostage under peace treaty terms. There he married Antigone, stepdaughter of Ptolemy. When Cassander died in 297 BC, Ptolemy provided men and funds to restore Pyrrhus to Epirus. The young king returned with an army but agreed to co-rule with Neoptolemus to avoid civil war. Soon Pyrrhus murdered Neoptolemus at a dinner feast. His nobility seemed devoted to him after this act.
When was Pyrrhus of Epirus born and who were his parents?
Pyrrhus of Epirus entered the world in 319 BC within the rugged mountains of Epirus. His father Aeacides held only the title of prince while his mother Phthia was a Thessalian noblewoman and daughter of General Menon.
What happened during the Battle of Heraclea involving Pyrrhus of Epirus?
At Heraclea Consul Publius Valerius Laevinus led Roman forces against Pyrrhus's superior cavalry and deadly phalanx. Hieronymus of Cardia reported seven thousand Roman dead and three thousand Epirot losses including many officers.
How did Pyrrhus of Epirus die in 272 BC?
During a confused battle within narrow city streets at Argos an old woman threw a tile that knocked Pyrrhus from his horse and broke part of his spine paralyzing him. Death was assured when Zopyrus beheaded the motionless body after the blow.
Why is the term Pyrrhic victory associated with Pyrrhus of Epirus?
The term stems directly from statements made by Pyrrhus following the Battle of Asculum about future ruin. He reportedly stated that one more victory would utterly ruin them meaning a win costing so much it loses all worth.
Which military units formed the core of Pyrrhus of Epirus army?
Pyrrhus commanded armies numbering up to forty thousand troops throughout his career including twenty war elephants loaned by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. His force structure included elite bodyguard Companions Tarentine light horse Cretan mercenary archers and phalanx infantry maintaining deadly formations.
In 280 BC, Pyrrhus entered Italy with twenty thousand infantrymen, three thousand cavalry, two thousand archers, five hundred slingers, and twenty war elephants. These elephants had been loaned by Ptolemy II Philadelphus who also promised nine thousand soldiers to defend Epirus. At Heraclea, Consul Publius Valerius Laevinus led Roman forces against Pyrrhus's superior cavalry and deadly phalanx. Hieronymus of Cardia reported seven thousand Roman dead and three thousand Epirot losses including many officers. Dionysius offered bloodier figures suggesting fifteen thousand Romans and thirteen thousand Epirotes fell. Lucanians, Bruttii, Messapians, Croton, and Locri joined Pyrrhus's cause. He offered Rome peace which they rejected before marching on the city itself. In 279 BC, the armies met again at Asculum where Consul Publius Decius Mus commanded. The consul defeated Pyrrhus but lost six thousand men while Pyrrhus sacrificed three thousand including many officers. After this battle, Pyrrhus reportedly stated that one more victory would utterly ruin them. This statement later gave rise to the term Pyrrhic victory meaning a win costing so much it loses all worth.
A Sicilian Betrayal
In 278 BC, Greek cities in Sicily asked Pyrrhus to drive out Carthage while Macedonians invited him to their throne. He chose Sicily as offering greater opportunity and sailed his army there. Soon after landing, he lifted the Carthaginian siege of Syracuse and was proclaimed king of Sicily. Plans emerged for his son Helenus to inherit Sicily while Alexander received Italy. By 277 BC, Pyrrhus captured Eryx, the strongest Carthaginian fortress on the island. This prompted other Carthaginian-controlled cities to defect to Pyrrhus. In 276 BC, negotiations with Carthage broke down when Pyrrhus demanded they abandon all Sicily. The Greek cities opposed peace because Carthage still controlled Lilybaeum. For two months, Pyrrhus launched unsuccessful assaults until realizing he needed a fleet blockade. When Sicilians became unhappy about compulsory contributions, he proclaimed military dictatorship and installed garrisons. These measures inflamed opinion against him until Sicilian Greeks made common cause with Carthaginians. As his ship left the island, Pyrrhus told companions what a wrestling ground they were leaving for Carthage and Rome. His navy suffered destruction at the Strait of Messina where ninety-eight warships sank or disabled out of one hundred ten.
The End Of A King
In 274 BC, Pyrrhus seized Macedon from Antigonus II Gonatas after winning an easy victory at the Battle of the Aous. He allowed Gallic mercenaries to plunder tombs of Macedonian kings at Aegae making himself unpopular. Cleonymus, a Spartan royal hated by fellow Spartans, asked Pyrrhus to attack Sparta in 272 BC. Unexpected strong resistance thwarted the assault on Sparta during which Pyrrhus lost his firstborn son Ptolemy commanding the rearguard. Immediately afterward, Pyrrhus intervened in Argos civic disputes while Antigonus approached too closely. During the confused battle within narrow city streets, Pyrrhus fought an Argive soldier whose old mother watched from a rooftop. The woman threw a tile that knocked Pyrrhus from his horse and broke part of his spine paralyzing him. Whether alive or not after this blow remains unknown but death was assured when Zopyrus beheaded the motionless body. Antigonus later cremated Pyrrhus with honors and sent surviving son Helenus back to Epirus. That same year Tarentinians surrendered to Rome upon hearing news of Pyrrhus's death.
Elephants And Phalanxes
Pyrrhus's army represented partial continuation of Macedonian hosts under Alexander the Great yet based on existing Epirote warrior traditions. Elite bodyguard Companions owed personal loyalty to the ruler and furnished staff officers as Successor features. Specialist allies included Tarentine light horse and Cretan mercenary archers integrated into the force structure. War elephants loaned by Ptolemy II Philadelphus formed crucial components of his military campaigns. These animals proved devastating at Heraclea and Asculum despite heavy losses suffered during retreats. The phalanx infantry maintained deadly formations while cavalry provided superior mobility across Italian terrain. Twenty war elephants accompanied Pyrrhus into Italy alongside twenty thousand infantrymen and three thousand cavalry. When Roman flaming arrows frightened elephants at Beneventum, they rushed against their own Epirotes causing disorder. This tactical vulnerability contributed significantly to eventual withdrawal from Italy after losing half his elephant corps. Despite these challenges, Pyrrhus commanded armies numbering up to forty thousand troops throughout his career.
A Legacy Of Fire
Plutarch recorded that Hannibal ranked Pyrrhus as greatest commander ever seen though another account placed him second only to Alexander. Cicero praised Pyrrhus's lost books on art of war which influenced Hannibal according to Plutarch. His great toe reportedly cured spleen diseases merely by touching patients yet could not burn when cremated. This toe remained in a coffer kept at an unknown temple after his body was burned. The term Pyrrhic victory stems directly from statements made following Battle of Asculum about future ruin. Rome's failure to fully exploit opportunities while still regional power had immense consequences for Mediterranean history. By 197 BC Macedonia became Roman client state while Seleucid Empire ceded Asia Minor to Pergamon in 188 BC. Attalus III bequeathed Pergamon territories to Rome in 133 BC before Corinth destruction in 146 BC. Pompey Magnus delivered final blow to Seleucid Empire in 63 BC creating Roman Syria. Ptolemaic Kingdom lingered until annexation as Roman Egypt in 30 BC. Pyrrhus wrote memoirs and several books on warfare though these works have since been lost entirely.