Battle of Beneventum
Part of the Pyrrhic War
Most important places in the Pyrrhic War
Date: 275 BC Location: Beneventum, mod. Benevento, Campania, Italy Result: Inconclusive Casus belli: {{{casus}}} Territory changes: {{{territory}}}
Combatants
Roman Republic	Epiriots and Italian Greeks
Commanders
Marcus Curius Dentatus	Pyrrhus of Epirus
Strength
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Casualties
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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. It was fought near Benevento, in Southern Italy, and was central to subsequent Roman expansion. 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. ... 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. ... Benevento is a town and archiepiscopal see of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 32 miles northeast of Naples. ... Campania is a region of Southern Italy, bordering on Lazio to the north-west, Molise to the north, Puglia to the north-east, Basilicata to the east, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... Casus belli is a Latin expression from the international law theory of Jus ad bellum. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... Manius Curius Dentatus, Manius fils (d. ... Pyrrhus (312-272 BC) (Greek: Πυρρος - the color of fire, red-blonde, Latin Pyrrhus), king of the Molossians (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 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. ... Pyrrhus (312-272 BC) (Greek: Πυρρος - the color of fire, red-blonde, Latin Pyrrhus), king of the Molossians (from ca. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... Manius Curius Dentatus, Manius fils (d. ... Benevento is a town and archiepiscopal see of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 32 miles northeast of Naples. ...

Pyrrhus had been drained by his recent wars in Sicily, and by the earlier Pyrrhic victories over the Romans. Although the battle was inconclusive, he decided to end his campaign in Italy and return to Epirus; as a consequence of this, many modern sources wrongly state that Pyrrhus lost the battle. Pyrrhus' departure resulted in the Samnites finally being conquered, and the eventual fall of Tarentum and Magna Graecia three years later, which resulted in Roman dominance of the Italian peninsula. A Pyrrhic victory (pronounced pirric) is a victory which is won at too great a cost for the victor. ... Map of Italy showing Taranto in the bottom right Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ... Map of Magna Graecia Italy. ...

The exact numbers are not known. The Epirot force was scattered before the battle and the Romans were able to scare Pyrrhus's war elephants (presumably with a fire arrow) and send them crashing back to the Epirot ranks. Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ...

Although they never defeated Pyrrhus on the field, the Romans were able to win a war of attrition against what was the best general of his time, and one of the greatest in antiquity. In doing so, they established themselves as a strong power in the Mediterrean. The Roman battles with Pyrrhus also foreshadowed the superiority of the Roman legion over the Macedonian phalanx, due to the greater mobility of the legion (though many point out the weakening of the cavalry arm in the times of the diadochi). Also, the Hellenistic world would never again have a general like Pyrrhus to challenge the Romans. The Roman legion (from the Latin legio, meaning levy) was the basic military unit of ancient Rome. ... The Macedonian phalanx is an infantry formation developed by Philip II and used by his son Alexander the Great to conquer the Persian Empire and other armies. ...