Pyrrhus

In 281 BC, the Greek city of [|Tarentum], in [|southern Italy], fell out with Rome and was faced with a Roman attack and certain defeat. Rome had already made itself into a major power, and was poised to subdue all the Greek cities in [|Magna Graecia]. The Tarentines asked Pyrrhus to lead their war against the Romans.[|[4]] Pyrrhus was encouraged to aid the Tarentines by the oracle of [|Delphi]. His goals were not, however, selfless. He recognized the possibility of carving out an empire for himself in Italy. He made an alliance with [|Ptolemy Ceraunus], King of Macedon and his most powerful neighbor, and arrived in [|Italy] in 280 BC. He entered Italy with an army consisting of 3,000 [|cavalry], 2,000 [|archers], 500 [|slingers], 20,000 [|infantry] and 20 [|war elephants] in a bid to subdue the Romans.[|[4]] Due to his superior cavalry and his //elephants// (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-kvcN2BB0U)

When Pyrrhus invaded [|Apulia] (279 BC), the two armies met in the [|Battle of Asculum] where Pyrrhus won a very costly victory. The consul [|Publius Decius Mus] was the Roman commander, and his able force, though defeated, broke the back of Pyrrhus' Hellenistic army, and guaranteed the security of the city itself. The battle foreshadowed later Roman victories over more numerous and well armed successor state military forces and inspired the term "[|Pyrrhic victory]", meaning a victory which comes at a crippling cost.