What is Pyrrhus?
[[File:Pyrrhus.JPG|thumb|Statue of Pyrrhus. National Archaeological Museum, [[Naples]]]] '''Pyrrhus''' or '''Pyrrhos''' ({{lang-gr|Πύρρος της Ηπείρου, Pyrrhus of Epirus}}; 319–272 BC) was a [[Greek people|Greek]] king and [[statesman]] of the [[Hellenistic period]]. His life was lived in the rather confused times following the death of [[Alexander the Great]]. Alexander's successors, known as the [[Diadochi]], were continually at war with each other over bits and pieces of Alexander's vast Empire. Pyrrhus was king of the Greek Molossian tribe (from ca. 297 BC). Later he became King of [[Epirus]] (306{{ndash}}302, 297–272 BC) and [[Macedonian Empire|Macedon]] (288–284, 273–272 BC). He was one of the strongest opponents of early [[Roman Empire|Rome]]. However, some of his battles, though successful, cost him heavy losses. From this the term ''[[Pyrrhic victory]]'' was coined. A Pyrrhic victory is a victory gained at too great a cost. Pyrrhus is the subject of one of [[Plutarch]]'s Parallel Lives. {{Authority control}} [[Category:310s BC births]] [[Category:3rd-century BC deaths]] [[Category:Ancient Greek generals]] {{bio-stub}}