Rome and Pyrrus II Molossian: Myth and Reality

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Pages: -
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/ZBKN8850

Abstract:

The Romans’ wars with Pyrrhus II are a milestone in their history. They make them a regional political force within Italy as an international political factor. These military campaigns are the first clash of legions with Macedonian phalanx. In a way, they are very lucky, because they fight one of the most incongruous Hellenistic rulers, which to a large extent allow them to withhold victory. Battles with Pyrrhus II allow the Romans to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the Macedonian phalanx, which allows them to prepare for the conflicts with the Hellenistic rulers, because the troops of the latter rely mostly on the Macedonian phalanx for winning the battles. The war with Pyrrhus II leaves an unforgettable memory in the Romans. They perceive it as the first great victory over a mighty Hellenistic ruler, which is why Pyrrhus II was idealized in the Roman narrative tradition. He is declared the greatest strategist of his time, even greater than Alexander III of Macedon. His deliberate heroisation by the Romans is probably due to the fear they face before him after his first victories, and on the other hand that the final victory in the war enabled the Romans to finally conquer Southern Italy, which in turn opens the way to the conquest of Sicily. There is also the fear of a repetition of the march carried out by the Pyrrhus, which the Romans compare to Hanibal’s march.

Keywords:

Pyrrhus II, Romans, Tarentum, Samnites, Heraclea.

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