After inheriting the throne as a boy, and a period of exile, he began a career of alliances and expansion, in particular against the regions rising power. Roman legions and the hithertodominant hellenistic way of war with its pike. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the history of nippur like never before. After the inconclusive battle of beneventum in 275 bc, pyrrhus decided to end his campaign in italy and return to epirus which resulted in the loss of all his italian holdings.
Fearing roman retaliation, tarentum soon turned to king pyrrhus of epirus for assistance. He has written numerous articles on hellenistic warfare for specialist journals such as slingshot, the journal of the society of ancients. During what came to be known as the pyrrhic war, pyrrhus fought rome at the behest of tarentum, scoring costly victories at heraclea and asculum. Pyrrhus of epirus biography facts, childhood, family. Most of us have only heard of pyrrhus through the phrase pyrrhic victory, referring to someone who wins all the battles, but loses the war. Pyrrhus was informed of a plot against his life and decided to strike first. Pyrrhus of epirus download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Pyrrhus of epirus was a greek general and statesman, whose military victories against rome gave rise to the phrase pyrrhic victory. Mar 17, 2017 this book is a good general presentation of the military career of pyrrhus of epirus targeted at the general reader as opposed to the historian. For the wargamer who already has a macedonian or successor army, it is a short step to fielding a pyrrhic one. He proceeded to take over sicily from carthage but was soon driven out, and lost all his gains in italy after the battle of beneventum in 275 bc.
Aug 08, 2018 in ancient sources it is reported that pyrrhus was a writer of a work called memoirs or memos and where he probably analyzed his strategic methods and referred to his military successes. Soon both kings started to plot against one another. This particular book is a collaboration focused on pyrrhus of epirus. His story and the story of his army is told in this osprey menatarms series book, authored by nicholas sekunda. Indeed, he was uniquely positioned to go to war for or against most of the. Download books history, military the army of pyrrhus of epirus. This personal conflict escalated to an open war between epirus and macedonia when demetrius wanted to conquer aetolia and pyrrhus announced his support for those who were under attack. In his life, he sought to emulate the deeds of his kinsman of alexander the great, and proved an able commander, named by hannibal as second only to alexander among the great captains of the day. Ive also compiled a reading list of my favourite history books via the amazon influencer program.
Pyrrhus invasion of the peloponnese project gutenberg. Following this, pyrrhus returned to epirus, ending the war. The author starts with an overview of the eastern mediterranean in the 3rd century bc and of epirus itself. Yet he prospered in troubled times and rose from a refugee to a king. Gathering both greek and italian allies into a very large army which included war. The book shows you how pyrrhus experiences from the courts of the diadochi successors develop him as a general.
His was born a few years after the death of his relative alexander the great, grew up during the wars of the diadochi, learned war under alexanders. Romans initially do nothing, but tarentines worried, so they hire pyrrhus of epirus just in case, who brings 25,000 soldiers what happens in the pyrrhic war after pyrrhus comes along. Pyrrhus wrote memoirs and several books on the art of war. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The roman historian titus livius or livy 59 bce 17 ce is the writer of the authorized version of the history of the roman republic.
Pyrrhus invasion of the peloponnese project gutenberg self. Pyrrhus of epirus by jeff champion nook book ebook. Jul 16, 2009 pyrrhus of epirus by jeff champion is infinitely readable, and is the first book i have read by this particular author. Pyrrhus was born into the royal house of epirus, northwest greece, but his mother was forced to flee into exile to protect his life when he was a mere infant. Theres a lot more to his story than that one campaign, and he was a very successful general, right up to the end, where he was killed at the battle of argos in 272 bc. In ancient sources it is reported that pyrrhus was a writer of a work called memoirs or memos and where he probably analyzed his strategic methods and referred to his military successes. This is an example of one such book, jeff champions pyrrhus of epirus is a very. After being defeated by the roman republic in the pyrrhic war in 275 bc, pyrrhus r. Pyrrhus s military adventures overstrained his states military resources, but they also brought great prosperity to epirus.
Romes war against that infamous hellenistic condottiere king pyrrhus of epirus in 280 to 275 that finally brought rome fully into the purview of hellenistic international relations. Pyrrhus invasion of the peloponnese in 272 bc was an invasion of south greece by pyrrhus, king of epirus. The pyrrhic war was the first time that rome confronted the professional mercenary armies of the hellenistic states of the eastern mediterranean. Upon becoming ruler at the age of 12, pyrrhus allied. The book is written in a readable manner an laid out in chronological order. Romans send army against tarentum and pyrrhus, but pyrrhus wins battle. The pyrrhic war 280275 bc was a series of military conflicts involving the greek states epirus, macedonia and the citystates of great greece in southern italy, romans, italic peoples primarily samnites and etruscans, and carthage in the composition of various political alliances.
Guard cavalry, line cavalry, macedonian phalanx, epirote phalanx, mercenary phalanx, elephants, and slingers. Army of pyrrhus by johnny shumate the greeks of south italy and the adriatic now looked to rome as their protector rather. To retaliate, the romans marched on tarentum, which hired soldiers from king pyrrhus of epirus in modern albania to help defend it. He was king of the greek tribe of molossians from ca. Pyrrhus developed no sympathy or pity for others as he could kill anyone without regretting. These were the first fascinating duels between the developing roman legions and the hithertodominant hellenistic way of war with its pike phalanxes and. Pyrrhus of epirus book published march 31, 2017 ancient. Indeed, some of his wins turned out to be as much costly for him as for the romans, referring to which, he is believed to have said if we are victorious in one more battle with the romans, we shall be utterly ruined. King of hellenistic epirus whose costly military successes against macedonia and rome gave rise to the phrase pyrrhic victory. It is mostly wellwritten although it suffers, at times, from some oversweeping and oversimplified statements such as light infantry being generally ineffectual. Pyrrhus lived between 319 bce and 272 bce, and he was king of epirus for the last 25 years of his life. Indeed, hannibal referred to pyrrhus as his teacher, although the two never met, since he learnt so much of the art of war from his writings. His final wars were in greece where he grabbed the throne of macedon.
Jeff champion is a customs and excise officer in australia. Pyrrhus was one of the most tireless and famous warriors of the hellenistic age. Once pyrrhus started to take part in the war, he went on and killed polities in front of king priam. Albeit the reader gets treated on some fairly detailed descriptions of battles and battle.
Pyrrhus returned to epirus at the head of an army, but not willing to fight a civil war he agreed to rule epirus together with neoptolemus. He invited his fellow king to a dinner and had him murdered. Pyrrhus troops were heavyarmed foot soldiers with lances, a cavalry, and a herd of elephants. There is a newer book on pyrrhus called pyrrhus of epirus, which covers mostly his military campaigns but also goes into some detail on his personal life. Pyrrhus was asked by the people of the greek city of tarentum in southern italy to help them in their war with the roman republic. It was, of course, romes war against that infamous hellenistic condottiere king pyrrhus of epirus in 280 to 275 that finally brought rome fully into the purview of hellenistic international relations. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone.
The remaining chapters describe pyrrhus brief conquering of macedonia, his adventures in magna graecia, how he almost conquered sicily and his wars across the peloponnesus. One of these was pyrrhus, who gained control of the northern greek kingdom of epirus, and famously went on to campaign in greece, italy, and sicily. People who want to know more about the man should probably start there. The books with an explanation of the time and place of pyrrhus in the 3rd century bc. Jun 26, 2018 the pyrrhic war 280275 bc was a series of military conflicts involving the greek states epirus, macedonia and the citystates of great greece in southern italy, romans, italic peoples primarily samnites and etruscans, and carthage in the composition of various political alliances. Pyrrhus of epirus was rated by hannibal as the second greatest general yet seen placing himself third. Pyrrhus, king of hellenistic epirus whose costly military successes against macedonia and rome gave rise to the phrase pyrrhic victory. Pyrrhus was a greek king and statesman of the hellenistic period. Pyrrhus, born 319 bce died 272, argos, argolis, king of hellenistic epirus whose costly military successes against macedonia and rome gave rise to the phrase pyrrhic victory. In the wake of the battle, pyrrhus reportedly said, if we are victorious in one more battle with the romans we shall be utterly ruined. Romes victory drew the attention of these states to the emerging power of rome. Pyrrhus of epirus audiobook by charles river editors. Pyrrhus of epirus by jeff champion is infinitely readable, and is the first book i have read by this particular author.
Patrick alan kent a history of the pyrrhic war explores the multipolar nature of a conflict that involved the romans, peoples of italy, western greeks, and carthaginians during pyrrhus western campaign in the early. At this time the state was a loose combination of tribes with the kings role primarily that of war leader. If you do choose to purchase any of these incredible sources of. The life and legacy of one of the ancient worlds most famous generals traces the history and legacy of one of the most influential cities of antiquity. Pyrrhus was born in 319318 as the son of aeacides and a greek lady from thessaly named phthia, the daughter of a hero in the war of greek liberation against the macedonians the lamian war. The pyrrhic war 280275 bc was a war fought by pyrrhus, the king of epirus.
He crossed over to tarentum with 23,000 foot 3000 horse, 2000 archers,500 slingers. He wished, rather, since he had no time to wage war against pyrrhus, to come to. It is said since he was the first person written about with these behaviours, that he was one of the first written about sociopaths. This book is a good general presentation of the military career of pyrrhus of epirus targeted at the general reader as opposed to the historian. Pyrrhus is certainly one of the better known characters of antiquity, known as one of the first eastern potentates to clash with rome to mixed result. The war ended in a joint victory by macedonia and sparta.
Pyrrhus of epirus often appears in histories of the roman republic, but he tends to make little more than cameo appearances, appearing in italy to challenge the romans and then disappearing again after his failure. Pyrrhus, the pyrrhic war, and the defense of tarentum. Pyrrhus, a distant relative of alexander the great, envisioned himself as another alexander. Pyrrhus was one of the most tireless and famous warriors of the hellenistic age that followed the dispersal of alexander the greats brief empire. Jul 16, 2009 pyrrhus of epirus was rated by hannibal as the second greatest general yet seen placing himself third.
He was opposed by macedon and a coalition of greek citystates, most notably sparta. Having recently confirmed his authority through war in epirus, he anxiously looked to italy for expansion and glory. Click download or read online button to get pyrrhus of epirus book now. The army of pyrrhus of epirus by nicholas sekunda, 9781472833488, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In ancient sources it is reported that pyrrhus was a writer of a work called memoirs or memos and where he probably analyzed his strategic methods and. Oct, 2019 as you would expect from an osprey title, the book is well illustrated and has colour plates by peter dennis. The greatest molossian king of this coalition was pyrrhus 319272. Gathering both greek and italian allies into a very large army which included warelephants, he crossed to italy in 280 bc, but lost most of his force in a series of. The life and legacy of one of the ancient worlds most famous generals by charles river editors mar 31, 2017 paperback. The young boy grew up at the taulantian court and was twelve when glaucias made him king 306. This is a good introduction, and i would recommend jeff champions book pyrrhus of epirus if this whets your appetite for a more detailed history of this fascinating king. Pyrrhus was born into the royal house of epirus, northwest greece, but his mother.
Many of the 142 books of the history of rome from its beginning are now lost. Three years later, in 272 bc, the romans captured tarentum. His sister deidamia, demetrius wife, was by now dead. In books 1214, he described the war against pyrrhus, in which the romans conquered southern italy. Appian, roman history, book 3, the samnite wars, loeb classical library, vol. During what came to be known as the pyrrhic war, pyrrhus fought rome at the. King pyrrhus who had conquered large parts of greece and dreamed of conquering an empire, saw this invitation as an opportunity to realize his plans, accepted the invitation against the advice of cineas his counselor.
The army of pyrrhus of epirus, 3rd century bc ipms. Previous video in our animated historical documentary series on pyrrhus of epirus saw him fighting against the carthaginians on sicily and again against the roman republic at. Dec 02, 2017 this feature is not available right now. Epirus covered large parts of modern north western greece and southern albania. His memoirs and books on the art of war were quoted and praised by many ancient authors, including cicero.
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