Pyrrhus

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Pyrrhus

Pyrrhus , c.318-272 BC, Molossian king of Epirus. He fought at Ipsus in Asia Minor in the service of Demetrius Poliorcetes (later Demetrius I ) of Macedon, and by the aid of Ptolemy I he became (297 BC) joint king of Epirus with Neoptolemus. He removed (295) Neoptolemus from the throne, but before his kingdom was consolidated he went to war with Demetrius (291-286); Pyrrhus obtained half of Macedonia and Thessaly but was driven back (c.286) by Lysimachus . He then went to S Italy with a large force to aid the Tarentines and defeated (280) the Romans at Heraclea. In the same year Pyrrhus' peace proposals were rejected by the Romans. In 279 he again defeated the Romans at Asculum in Apulia. His heavy losses caused him to declare, "one more such victory and I am lost," thus the origin of the term "Pyrrhic victory." At Beneventum (now Benevento) he was barely defeated (275) by the Romans. He again attempted to conquer Macedonia, defeating (273) Antigonus II. Turning his attention suddenly to the Peloponnesus, he failed to take Sparta by siege. He then fled to Argos, where he was killed by a mob in the street. He accomplished nothing beyond bringing Epirus to ruin.

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Pyrrhus

A Dictionary of the Bible | 1997 | | Â© A Dictionary of the Bible 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Pyrrhus Father of Sopater of Beroea, who was one of the companions of Paul on his final journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20: 4). It does not seem that Pyrrhus was himself one of the party.

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W. R. F. BROWNING. "Pyrrhus." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Pyrrhus." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Pyrrhus.html

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Pyrrhus

A Dictionary of World History | 2000 | Â© A Dictionary of World History 2000, originally published by Oxford University Press 2000. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Pyrrhus (c.318–272 BC) King of Epirus c.307–272. After invading Italy in 280, he defeated the Romans at Asculum in 279, but sustained heavy losses, hence a Pyrrhic victory is one in which the cost to the victor is excessive.

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	Pyrrhus on the hustings. (Republican presidential campaigns) (Editorial) Magazine article from: National Review; 3/16/1992
	Pyrrhus was a Greek, too. (analysis of presidential debate) Magazine article from: National Review; 10/28/1988
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