Battle of Beneventum (275 BC)
| date | 275 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Beneventum, today Benevento |
| output | Roman victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| approx. 27,000 men (4 legions) | approx. 25,000 men (approx. 20 elephants) |
| losses | |
|
unknown |
approx. 9,000 men |
The battle of Beneventum was the last battle fought in the Pyrrhic War between the army of Pyrrhus of Epirus and that of the Romans under their consul Manius Curius Dentatus . It took place in 275 BC. In today's Benevento and with the victory of the Romans it was a decisive stage in their expansion in southern Italy.
Pyrrhus' resources were severely weakened by his campaigns in Sicily against Carthage and by previous Pyrrhus victories against Rome. In the meantime the Romans had prepared themselves well for the fight with Pyrrhus' war elephants , which had a devastating effect in the first battles, but could now be panicked by the use of fire, so that they themselves caused damage to the ranks of the Epirots . Pyrrhus had to admit defeat, especially since the Samnites had come under Roman rule again. Pyrrhus returned to Epirus to instead make further conquests in Greece and Macedonia ; in Taranto he only left a small garrison behind, which soon surrendered to the Romans.
The place of the battle was called Maleventum , immediately after the battle the Romans renamed the place Beneventum .