| − | '''Pyrrhus''' (c.318BC-272BC) became King of Epirus, in modern-day [[Greece]], in 307BC. In 280 he sailed with a force of soldiers and [[war elephant]]s to assist the Greek colony of Tarentum, in modern-day [[Italy]], against the [[Romans]]. He won his first encounter with the Romans, on the River Siris, but so long and bloody was the battle that Pyrrhus is reputed to have said: "Another such victory and I return to Epirus alone". This was the origin of the term '[[Pyrrhic victory]]' - that is, a victory that is as damaging (or almost as damaging) to the victor as to the vanquished. Nevertheless, Pyrhhus remained for several years, fighting the Romans in Italy and [[Carthaginian]]s (in [[Sicily]]), before being decisively defeated and returning to Greece in 274 BC. There he engaged in war with [[Sparta]], and was killed in 272BC while attacking Argos, struck on the head by a roof-tile hurled by a woman of that city. | + | '''Pyrrhus''' (c.318BC-272BC) became King of Epirus, in modern-day [[Greece]], in 307BC. In 280 he sailed with a force of soldiers and [[war elephant]]s to assist the Greek colony of Tarentum, in modern-day [[Italy]], against the [[Roman]]s. He won his first encounter with the Romans, on the River Siris, but so long and bloody was the battle that Pyrrhus is reputed to have said: "Another such victory and I return to Epirus alone". This was the origin of the term '[[Pyrrhic victory]]' - that is, a victory that is as damaging (or almost as damaging) to the victor as to the vanquished. Nevertheless, Pyrhhus remained for several years, fighting the Romans in Italy and [[Carthaginian]]s (in [[Sicily]]), before being decisively defeated and returning to Greece in 274 BC. There he engaged in war with [[Sparta]], and was killed in 272BC while attacking Argos, struck on the head by a roof-tile hurled by a woman of that city. |