It was built in the third century BC in the time of King Pyrrhus of Epiros, but was remodelled by the Romans. |
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Dentatus now decided to offer battle and fight Pyrrhus on the plain adjoining his camp. |
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Pyrrhus arrived in southern Italy in 280 bc with 20 elephants and 25,000 highly trained soldiers. |
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The victory is likely to be Pyrrhic anyway, Pyrrhus being the ancient king who won a battle at such heavy cost that, in effect, he lost. |
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After an unsuccessful four year campaign in Sicily, Pyrrhus returned, again, to aid Tarentum. |
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For example, the consul who finally defeated Pyrrhus, Dentatus, was so-called because of his immense, bucked teeth. |
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Dentatus' victory convinced Pyrrhus to give up his dreams of western conquest and he departed for Greece. |
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Led by his somewhat short-handed corps of war elephants, Pyrrhus, once again, marched on Rome. |
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The next year he defeated the new Macedonian ruler, Antigonus II Gonatas, whose troops hailed Pyrrhus as king. |
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One should note that these tactics, which can be entertainingly effective in computer games like Civilization, led to Pyrrhus dying on the streets of Argos after being brained with a roofing tile. |
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Rome steadfastly refused to negotiate with Pyrrhus as long as his army remained in Italy. |
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While Beneventum was indecisive, Pyrrhus realised his army had been exhausted and reduced by years of foreign campaigns. |
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Nevertheless, it was generally the fate of the greatest of Rome's enemies, such as Pyrrhus and Hannibal, to win early battles but lose the war. |
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King Pyrrhus was at dinner at an ale-house bordering on the theatre, when he was summoned to go on the stage. |
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King Pyrrhus vainly loves his captive, the Trojan widow Andromache, and is in turn loved by the Greek princess Hermione, who in her turn is loved by Orestes. |
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The conflicts with Pyrrhus would have a great effect on Rome. |
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In 275 BC, Pyrrhus again met the Roman army at the Battle of Beneventum. |
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Despite early victories, Pyrrhus found his position in Italy untenable. |
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