Pyrrhus was the king of Epirus and lived from 318 BC to 272 BC. He is widely recognized as one of the most brilliant generals of his era. He led his soldiers to many victories, but is most famous for his battles against Rome. In addition to being an outstanding general, he was a lauded author. His books on the art of war have been cited and acclaimed by many ancient authors. Despite his many great qualities, Pirro was a terrible politician. Many people believe that if he had better political sense he would have been able to maintain control of the land he conquered and his battles against Rome. Pyrrhus became king at the age of 12 but was soon dethroned in a revolt in 302 BC. In later years he served as an officer in the wars of the Diadochi. In 298 BC he was sent to Alexandria as a hostage under the treaty of Demetrius and Ptolemy. Pyrrhus befriended Ptolemy and then married Ptolemy's stepdaughter, Antigone. In 297 BC Ptolemy restored Pyrrhus to his kingdom. Three years later, with the military and financial help of Ptolemy, Pyrrhus went to war against his former ally Demetrius, king of Macedonia. Pyrrhus took control of the entire western half of Macedonia and Thessaly. He was driven out of Macedonia in 286 BC when he was defeated by Lysimachus at Edessa. Pyrrhus' battle against Rome began in 281 BC when the Greek city of Tarentum in southern Italy asked for his help against Rome. This would have been the first time the Romans and Greeks met on the battlefield. Pyrrhus arrived in Italy with an army of approximately 25,000 men and 20 war elephants. The first battle (the Battle of Heraclea) took place in 280 BC. Thanks to its elephants and superior cavalry, Pyrrhus' army achieved a costly victory. After this... middle of paper... military power and trained professionals. After being defeated at Heraclea, many Roman senators feared that Pyrrhus would conquer all of Rome. Pyrrhus himself may have influenced Rome only to a small extent, but the Pyrrhic War foreshadowed the way Rome would fight and conquer in years to come. Rome emerged from these wars as an even greater military power than it had been before. Pyrrhus' skill as a general and his books on the art of war influenced many generals who came after him, including Hannibal. Plutarch wrote that “the other kings…represented Alexander by their purple robes, their bodyguards, the slope of their necks, and their louder tones in conversation; but only Pyrrhus, in arms and in action. (3) What Pyrrhus lacked as king he made up for on the battlefield. He will always be remembered for his courage as a soldier and his brilliance as a commander.