Battle of Asculum
Most important places in the Pyrrhic War
Conflict: Pyrrhic War
Date: 279 BC
Place: Asculum, mod. Ascoli Satriano, Apulia, Italy
Outcome: narrow Epiriotic victory
Combatants
Roman Republic	Italian Greeks
Commanders
Publius Decius Mus	Pyrrhus of Epirus
Strength
about 40,000 soldiers (legions, auxilia, horses) 300 anti-elephant devices	40,000 soldiers (phalanx and horses) 20 elephants
Casualties
About 6,000	Perhaps 3,500
Pyrrhic War Heraclea – Asculum – Beneventum

The Battle of Asculum took place in 279 BC between the Romans under the command of consul Publius Decius Mus and the combined Tarantine, Oscan, Samnites, and Epiriotic forces, under the command of king Pyrrhus of Epirus. This battle is set within the Rome-Taranto conflict, to control the Magna Graecia. For further informations on this conflict, see the history of Taranto. Wars between Rome and Taranto Roma Beneventum (mod. ... The Pyrrhic War was a war between Pyrrhus of Epirus and Rome that lasted from 280 BCE to 275 BCE. It was an important precursor to the Punic Wars. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC - 270s BC - 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 284 BC 283 BC 282 BC 281 BC 280 BC - 279 BC - 278 BC 277 BC 276... The Battle of Asculum took place in 279 BC between the Romans under the command of consul Publius Decius P.f. ... Apulia (official Italian name: Puglia) is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Otranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century) The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) was the republican government of the city of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, which sometimes placed at 44 BC the year of Caesar... Pyrrhus (318 BC - 272 BC) (Greek Πυρρος - the color of fire, red-blonde, Latin Pyrrhus) - the Molossian king from ca. ... The Pyrrhic War was a war between Pyrrhus of Epirus and Rome that lasted from 280 BCE to 275 BCE. It was an important precursor to the Punic Wars. ... The Battle of Heraclea took place in 280 BC between the Romans under the command of consul Publius Valerius Laevinus and the combined forces of Greeks from Taranto, Thurii, Metapont, Heraclea and Epirus under the command of king Pyrrhus of Epirus. ... The Battle of Beneventum (275 BC) was the last battle fought between the forces of Pyrrhus of Epirus (without Samnite allies) and the Romans, led by consul Marcus Curius Dentatus. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC - 270s BC - 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 284 BC 283 BC 282 BC 281 BC 280 BC - 279 BC - 278 BC 277 BC 276... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century) The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) was the republican government of the city of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, which sometimes placed at 44 BC the year of Caesar... For modern diplomatic consuls, see Consulate general. ... Map of Italy showing Taranto in the bottom right Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ... Samnite warriors Samnium (Oscan Safinim) was a region of the southern Apennines in Italy that was home to the Samnites, a group of Sabellic tribes that controlled the area from about 600 BC to about 290 BC. Samnium was delimited by Latium in the north, by Lucania in the south... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípeiros; see also List of traditional Greek place names), is a province or periphery in northwestern Greece, bounded by West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, by the Ambracian Gulf and the province of West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the... Pyrrhus (318 BC - 272 BC) (Greek Πυρρος - the color of fire, red-blonde, Latin Pyrrhus) - the Molossian king from ca. ... Magna Graecia (Latin for Greater Greece, Megalê Hellas/Μεγάλη Ελλάς in Greek) is the name of the area in ancient southern Italy that was colonised by ancient Greek settlers in the 8th century BCE. Sources differ on whether it included Sicily, as well as Apulia and Calabria. ... Map of Italy showing Taranto in the bottom right Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ...

The armies

This battle was the second encounter between an Alexandrian, phalanx-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equal numbered.

The Romans had more infantry (four legions, 20,000 Romans, plus Dauni allies) and 300 anti-elephant devices. After the battle of Heraclea, in which the Epiriotic war elephants had a heavy impact on the Romans, the legions were provided with inflammable weapons and anti-elephant devices: these were ox-led chariots, equipped with long spikes to wound the elephants, pots of fire to scare them, and with screend troops who would hurl javelins at the elephants to drive them back. The Battle of Heraclea took place in 280 BC between the Romans under the command of consul Publius Valerius Laevinus and the combined forces of Greeks from Taranto, Thurii, Metapont, Heraclea and Epirus under the command of king Pyrrhus of Epirus. ... Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ...

Pyrrhus deployed Macedonian infantry and horses, his own troops, Greek mercenary infantry, allied Italian Greeks, including a Tarantine militia, 20 elephants, and Samnite infantry and horse. The Epiriotic army had an advantage in horses and the 20 elephants. In order to counter the more flexible Roman legion, Pyrrhus had mixed some light Italic troops to his phalanx. Phalanx (Greek word from phalangos, meaning line of battle) can refer to: phalanx formation in ancient warfare. ...

The battle

The battle was fought over two days.

Both armies deployed with their cavalry on the wings and infantry in the centre. Pyrrhus held his Guard cavalry in reserve behind the centre under his personal command. The Elephants were also kept initially in reserve.

The first day, Pyrrhus cavalry and elephants were blocked by the woods and hills where the battle was fought; however, the Italic units he mixed to his phalanx fought well. The Macedonians broke the Roman first legion and Latin allies, on their left wing, but the Roman third and fourth legions beat the Tarantines, Oscans and Epirots of Pyrrhos' centre. Meanwhile a force of Dauni attacked his camp. He sent reserve cavalry to deal with the breakthrough, more cavalry and elephants to drive off the Dauni. When they withdrew to an inaccessible steep hill he switched the elephants against the third and fourth legions; these too took refuge on wooded heights, only to be shot at by the archers and slingers escorting the elephants, to whom they could not reply. Pyrrhos then sent some Athamanian, Akarnanian and Samnite infantry to winkle the Romans out of the woods, but they were intercepted by Roman cavalry. Both sides withdrew at dusk, neither having gained much advantage.

Next dawn Pyrrhus sent light infantry to occupy the difficult ground which had given him trouble the previous day, and thus obliged the Romans to fight a set battle in the open. As at Heraclea, an even fight between legions and phalanx followed, until the elephants, supported by light infantry, broke through the Roman line. It was probably now that the anti-elephant wagons were driven against them; after a brief success, they were overwhelmed by psiloi who negated the anti-elephant chariots of the Romans. The elephants then hit the Roman infantry who buckled under the pressure. Simultaneously, Pyrrhus launched a charge by the Royal Guard, which completed the victory. The Romans then retreated to their camp.

Romans lost 6,000 men; Pyrrhus had 3,500 casualties, among which were many of his officers. Molossian victory.

Bibliography

• Information about this war can be found in Plutarch's Lives (Pyrrus 2 1), Polybius, Dionysius of Halicarnassus (XX 1--3), and Livy.