biography
pronunciation:
[pirus]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (c.318–272 BC)
|
| biography:
| King of Epirus (modern Albania) (307–303 BC, 297–272 BC), an ambitious ruler whose aim was to revive the empire of his second cousin, Alexander the Great. Unsuccessful in this goal (283 BC), he turned to the West, where he became embroiled in Italian affairs and hence conflict with Rome. Though he won two battles (280–279 BC), his losses, particularly at Asculum (279 BC), were so great that they gave rise to the phrase Pyrrhic victory. |
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