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Battle of Asculum (279 BC)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Asculum (or Ausculum) took place in 279 BC
between the Romans
under the command of Consul
Publius Decius Mus
and the combined Tarantine
, Oscan
, Samnite
, and Epirote forces, under the command of the Greek
king Pyrrhus of Epirus
. This battle is set within Pyrrhic War
for control of Magna Graecia
.
-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equally numbered.
The Romans had more infantry (four legions, 25,000 Romans, plus Dauni allies) and 300 anti-elephant devices. After the Battle of Heraclea
, in which Greek war elephants had proved decisive, the legions were provided with flammable weapons and anti-elephant devices: ox-led chariots, equipped with long spikes to wound the elephants, pots of fire to scare them and screening troops who would hurl pila
at the elephants to drive them away.
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 Greek 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 with his phalanx
.
On the first day, Pyrrhus' cavalry and elephants were blocked by the woods and hills where the battle was fought, although the Italic soldiers in the phalanxes fought well. The Macedonians broke the Roman first legion and Rome's Latin allies on their left wing but the Roman third and fourth legions defeated the Tarantines, Oscans and Epirotes in Pyrrhus' centre. Meanwhile a force of Dauni attacked his camp. He sent reserve cavalry to deal with the breakthrough, and more cavalry and some elephants to drive off the Dauni. When these withdrew to an inaccessible steep hill he deployed the elephants against the third and fourth legions; these too took refuge on wooded heights, but took fire from the archers and slingers escorting the elephants. Pyrrhus sent Athamanian, Acharnian and Samnite infantry to drive the Romans out of the woods, but these were intercepted by Roman cavalry. Both sides withdrew at dusk, neither having gained a significant advantage.
At dawn Pyrrhus sent light infantry to occupy the difficult ground which had proven a weak point the previous day, forcing the Romans to fight a set battle in the open. As at Heraclea, a collision of legion and phalanx followed, until the elephants, supported by light infantry, broke through the Roman line. At this point the anti-elephant wagons were launched; having proven briefly effective, these were overwhelmed by psiloi
who negated the Roman chariots. The elephants then charged the Roman infantry, which buckled. Pyrrhus simultaneously ordered the Royal Guard to charge, completing the rout. The Romans retreated to their camp.
The Romans lost 8,000 men, and Pyrrhus 3,000, including many of his officers. Pyrrhus later commented on his victory, stating, "One more such victory, and we shall be undone." It is from this exceptionally high price in victory that the phrase "Pyrrhic victory" originates.
279 BC
Year 279 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Saverrius and Mus...
between the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
under the command of Consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
Publius Decius Mus
Publius Decius Mus (279 BC)
Publius Decius Mus was a Roman politician and general. As consul in 279 BC, he and his fellow consul, Publius Sulpicius Saverrio, combined their armies against Pyrrhus of Epirus at the Battle of Asculum. Pyrrhus was victorious, but at such a high cost that the security of Asculum was guaranteed...
and the combined Tarantine
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Oscan
Osci
The Osci , were an Italic people of Campania and Latium adiectum during Roman times. They spoke the Oscan language, also spoken by the Samnites of Southern Italy. Although the language of the Samnites was called Oscan, the Samnites were never called Osci, or the Osci Samnites...
, Samnite
Samnium
Samnium is a Latin exonym for a region of south or south and central Italy in Roman times. The name survives in Italian today, but today's territory comprising it is only a small portion of what it once was. The populations of Samnium were called Samnites by the Romans...
, and Epirote forces, under the command of the Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
king Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general and statesman of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became king of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
. This battle is set within Pyrrhic War
Pyrrhic War
The Pyrrhic War was a complex series of battles and shifting political alliances among the Greeks , Romans, the Italian peoples , and the CarthaginiansThe Pyrrhic War initially started as a minor conflict between Rome and the city of Tarentum over a naval...
for control of Magna Graecia
Magna Graecia
Magna Græcia is the name of the coastal areas of Southern Italy on the Tarentine Gulf that were extensively colonized by Greek settlers; particularly the Achaean colonies of Tarentum, Crotone, and Sybaris, but also, more loosely, the cities of Cumae and Neapolis to the north...
.
Armies
This battle was the second encounter between a Macedonian phalanxMacedonian phalanx
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...
-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equally numbered.
The Romans had more infantry (four legions, 25,000 Romans, plus Dauni allies) and 300 anti-elephant devices. After the Battle of Heraclea
Battle of Heraclea
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 Epirus, Tarentum, Thurii, Metapontum, and Heraclea under the command of King Pyrrhus of Epirus....
, in which Greek war elephants had proved decisive, the legions were provided with flammable weapons and anti-elephant devices: ox-led chariots, equipped with long spikes to wound the elephants, pots of fire to scare them and screening troops who would hurl pila
Pilum
The pilum was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about two metres long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm in diameter and 60 cm long with pyramidal head...
at the elephants to drive them away.
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 Greek 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 with his phalanx
Phalanx formation
The phalanx is a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar weapons...
.
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 center. Pyrrhus held his Guard cavalry in reserve behind the centre under his personal command. The elephants were also initially kept in reserve.On the first day, Pyrrhus' cavalry and elephants were blocked by the woods and hills where the battle was fought, although the Italic soldiers in the phalanxes fought well. The Macedonians broke the Roman first legion and Rome's Latin allies on their left wing but the Roman third and fourth legions defeated the Tarantines, Oscans and Epirotes in Pyrrhus' centre. Meanwhile a force of Dauni attacked his camp. He sent reserve cavalry to deal with the breakthrough, and more cavalry and some elephants to drive off the Dauni. When these withdrew to an inaccessible steep hill he deployed the elephants against the third and fourth legions; these too took refuge on wooded heights, but took fire from the archers and slingers escorting the elephants. Pyrrhus sent Athamanian, Acharnian and Samnite infantry to drive the Romans out of the woods, but these were intercepted by Roman cavalry. Both sides withdrew at dusk, neither having gained a significant advantage.
At dawn Pyrrhus sent light infantry to occupy the difficult ground which had proven a weak point the previous day, forcing the Romans to fight a set battle in the open. As at Heraclea, a collision of legion and phalanx followed, until the elephants, supported by light infantry, broke through the Roman line. At this point the anti-elephant wagons were launched; having proven briefly effective, these were overwhelmed by psiloi
Psiloi
In Ancient Greek warfare, psiloi were extremely light infantry who acted as skirmishers and missile troops....
who negated the Roman chariots. The elephants then charged the Roman infantry, which buckled. Pyrrhus simultaneously ordered the Royal Guard to charge, completing the rout. The Romans retreated to their camp.
The Romans lost 8,000 men, and Pyrrhus 3,000, including many of his officers. Pyrrhus later commented on his victory, stating, "One more such victory, and we shall be undone." It is from this exceptionally high price in victory that the phrase "Pyrrhic victory" originates.