Battle of Asculum (279 BC)

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This article refers to the Pyrrhic War battle fought in 279 BC. For the Second Punic War battle fought in 209 BC, see Battle of Asculum (209 BC).

Battle of Asculum

Part of the Pyrrhic War

Most important places in the Pyrrhic War

Date	279 BC
Location	Asculum, modern Ascoli Satriano, Apulia, Italy
Result	Pyrrhic Epiriotic victory

Combatants

Roman Republic

Epirus,
Magna Graecia

Commanders

Publius Decius Mus

Pyrrhus of Epirus

Strength

40,000 cavalry and infantry,
300 anti-elephant devices

40,000 cavalry and infantry,
20 war elephants

Casualties

6,000 dead

3,500 dead

Pyrrhic War
Heraclea – Asculum – Beneventum

The Battle of Asculum - also known as the battle of Ausculum^[1] - took place in 279 BC between the Romans under the command of Consul Publius Decius Mus and the combined Tarantine, Oscan, Samnites, and Epiriotic forces, under the command of king Pyrrhus of Epirus. This battle is set within the Romano-Tarantine conflict, to control the Magna Graecia. For further information on this conflict, see the history of Taranto.

[edit] Armies

This battle was the second encounter between an Alexandrian, phalanx-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equally numbered.

The Romans had more infantry (four legions, 20,000 Romans, plus Dauni allies) and 300 anti-elephant devices. After the battle of Heraclea, in which the Epiriotic war elephants had a heavy impact on the Romans, the legions were provided with flammable weapons and anti-elephant devices: these were ox-led chariots, equipped with long spikes to wound the elephants, pots of fire to scare them, and screening troops who would hurl javelins 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 Epiriotic 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 to his phalanx.

[edit] 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 centre. Pyrrhus held his Guard cavalry in reserve behind the centre under his personal command. The elephants were also kept initially in reserve.

On the first day, Pyrrhus' cavalry and elephants were blocked by the woods and hills where the battle was fought, however, the Italic units he mixed to his phalanx fought well. The Macedonians broke the Roman first legion and Latin allies, on their left wing, but the Roman third and fourth legions beat the Tarantines, Oscans and Epirots of Pyrrhus' centre. Meanwhile a force of Dauni attacked his camp. He sent reserve cavalry to deal with the breakthrough, more cavalry and elephants to drive off the Dauni. When they withdrew to an inaccessible steep hill he switched the elephants against the third and fourth legions; these too took refuge on wooded heights, only to be shot at by the archers and slingers escorting the elephants, to whom they could not reply. Pyrrhus then sent some Athamanian, Acharnian and Samnite infantry to winkle the Romans out of the woods, but they were intercepted by Roman cavalry. Both sides withdrew at dusk, neither having gained much advantage.

Next dawn Pyrrhus sent light infantry to occupy the difficult ground which had given him trouble the previous day and thus obliged the Romans to fight a set battle in the open. As at Heraclea, an even fight between legions and phalanx followed, until the elephants, supported by light infantry, broke through the Roman line. It was probably now that the anti-elephant wagons were driven against them; after a brief success, these were overwhelmed by psiloi who negated the anti-elephant chariots of the Romans. The elephants then hit the Roman infantry who buckled under the pressure. Simultaneously, Pyrrhus launched a charge by the Royal Guard, which completed the victory. The Romans then retreated to their camp.

Romans lost 6,000 men; Pyrrhus had 3,500 casualties, among which were many of his officers. A narrow Epirotic victory, it is this battle which gave rise to the phrase "Pyrrhic victory," meaning a victory so costly that the victors do not gain much. Pyrrhus is reported to have said afterwards, "One more victory against the Romans and we shall be utterly ruined!"