Battle of Asculum
Part of the Pyrrhic War
Most important places in the Pyrrhic War
Date 279 BC Location Asculum, modern Ascoli Satriano, Apulia, Italy Result Pyrrhic Epiriotic victory
Combatants
Roman Republic	Epirus Magna Graecia
Commanders
Publius Decius Mus	Pyrrhus of Epirus
Strength
40,000 cavalry and infantry 300 anti-elephant devices	40,000 cavalry and infantry 20 war elephants
Casualties
6,000 dead	3,500 dead

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 Romano-Tarantine conflict, to control the Magna Graecia. For further information on this conflict, see the history of Taranto. Combatants Carthage* Roman Republic* Epirus Magna Graecia Samnium Commanders Publius Valerius Laevinus Publius Decius Mus Pyrrhus of Epirus * Note: Carthage and Rome were not strong allies in this conflict. ... Wars between Rome and Taranto Roma Beneventum (mod. ... 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. ... Province of Foggia Ascoli Satriano is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. ... This article is about the Italian region. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ... Magna Graecia around 280 b. ... P. Decius Mus was a Roman politician and general. ... Pyrrhus of Epirus Pyrrhus (318-272 BC) (Greek: Πύρρος), king of the Molossians (from ca. ... Combatants Carthage* Roman Republic* Epirus Magna Graecia Samnium Commanders Publius Valerius Laevinus Publius Decius Mus Pyrrhus of Epirus * Note: Carthage and Rome were not strong allies in this conflict. ... Combatants Roman Republic Epirus Magna Graecia Commanders Valerius Laevinus Pyrrhus of Epirus Strength 39,000 infantry 6,000 cavalry 31,500 infantry 4,000 cavalry 20 war elephants Casualties 7,000 dead 4,000 dead The Battle of Heraclea took place in 280 BC between the Romans under the command... Combatants Roman Republic Epiriots and Italian Greeks Commanders Marcus Curius Dentatus Pyrrhus of Epirus Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties {{{casualties1}}} {{{casualties2}}} {{{notes}}} 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... 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). ... Consul (abbrev. ... P. Decius Mus was a Roman politician and general. ... Founded 706 BC as Taras () Region Apulia Mayor Rossana Di Bello Area  - City Proper  217 km² Population  - City (2001)  - Density (city proper) 201,349 973/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 40°28 N 17°14 E www. ... 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, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ... Pyrrhus of Epirus Pyrrhus (318-272 BC) (Greek: Πύρρος), king of the Molossians (from ca. ... Magna Graecia around 280 b. ... Founded 706 BC as Taras () Region Apulia Mayor Rossana Di Bello Area  - City Proper  217 km² Population  - City (2001)  - Density (city proper) 201,349 973/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 40°28 N 17°14 E www. ...

Armies

This battle was the second encounter between an Alexandrian, phalanx-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equally 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 flammable 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 screening troops who would hurl javelins at the elephants to drive them back. Combatants Roman Republic Epirus Magna Graecia Commanders Valerius Laevinus Pyrrhus of Epirus Strength 39,000 infantry 6,000 cavalry 31,500 infantry 4,000 cavalry 20 war elephants Casualties 7,000 dead 4,000 dead The Battle of Heraclea took place in 280 BC between the Romans under the command... 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 cavalry, his own troops, Greek mercenary infantry, allied Italian Greeks, including a Tarantine militia, 20 elephants, and Samnite infantry and cavalry. The Epiriotic army had an advantage in cavalry and the 20 elephants. In order to counter the more flexible Roman legion, Pyrrhus had mixed some light Italic troops to his phalanx. A modern reconstruction of Greek hoplites forming a phalanx formation. ...

Battle

The battle was fought over two days. As was customary of the warfare of the period, both armies deployed 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.

On 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 Pyrrhus' 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. Pyrrhus then sent some Athamanian, Acharnian 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, these 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. A narrow Epirotic victory, it is this battle which gave rise to the phrase "Pyrrhic victory," meaning a victory so costly that the victors do not gain much. Pyrrhus is reported to have said afterwards, "One more victory against the Romans and we shall be utterly ruined!"

Bibliography

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