Pyrrhus was a Greek king and statesman of the Hellenistic period. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians of the royal Aeacid house, and later he became king of Epirus. He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome, and regarded as one of the greatest generals of antiquity. Several of his victorious battles caused him unacceptably heavy losses, from which the term "Pyrrhic victory" was coined.
Pyrrhus became king of Epirus in 306 BCE at the age of 13, but was dethroned by Cassander four years later. He saw action during the Wars of the Diadochi and regained his throne in 297 BCE with the support of Ptolemy I Soter.
During what came to be known as the Pyrrhic War, Pyrrhus fought Rome at the behest of Tarentum, scoring costly victories at Heraclea and Asculum. He proceeded to take over Sicily from Carthage but was soon driven out, and lost all his gains in Italy after the Battle of Beneventum in 275 BCE.
Pyrrhus seized the Macedonian throne from Antigonus II Gonatas in 274 BCE and invaded the Peloponnese in 272 BCE. The Epirote assault on Sparta was thwarted, however, and Pyrrhus was killed during a street battle at Argos.
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