Battle of Asculum

Battle of Asculum
	Part of the Pyrrhic War
	; Battle sites and places of the Pyrrhic War
Date	279 BC
Location	Asculum, modern Ascoli Satriano, Apulia, Italy
Result	Greek League victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic; Frentani; Marsi; Marrucini; Paeligni; Dauni; Umbrians;	Epirus; Aetolians; Acarnanians; Athamanians; Tarentines; Brutti; Lucani; Samnites;
Commanders and leaders
Publius Decius Mus; Publius Sulpicius Saverrio;	Pyrrhus of Epirus
Strength
40,000 men; 300 anti-elephant wagons;	40,000 men; 19 war elephants;
Casualties and losses
6,000 killed	3,500 killed

The Battle of Asculum took place near Asculum (modern Ascoli Satriano) in 279 BC between the Roman Republic under the command of the consuls Publius Decius Mus and Publius Sulpicius Saverrio, and the forces of King Pyrrhus of Epirus. The battle took place during the Pyrrhic War, after the Battle of Heraclea of 280 BC, which was the first battle of the war. There exist accounts of this battle by three ancient historians: Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Plutarch, and Cassius Dio. Asculum was in Lucanian territory, in southern Italy. The Battle of Asculum was the original “Pyrrhic victory”.

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