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:''This article refers to the Pyrrhic War battle fought in 279 BC. For the Second Punic War battle fought in 209 BC, see Battle of Asculum (209 BC).'' The Battle of Asculum (or Ausculum)〔Michael Grant, The History of Rome, p. 79〕 took place in 279 BC between the Romans under the command of Consul Publius Decius Mus and the combined Tarantine, Oscan, Samnite, and Epirote forces, under the command of the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus. The battle occurred during the Pyrrhic War for control of Magna Graecia. == Prelude and Armies== The battle at Asculum was the second encounter between Pyrrhus' primarily Macedonian army and several Roman legions. According to written accounts of the engagement from the era, the two armies were likely close to the same size at 40,000 men each. The Roman force was largely made up of infantry, an estimated four legions totaling 25,000 Romans, in addition to Dauni allies. After the Battle of Heraclea, in which the presence of war elephants had proved decisive, the legions had apparently equipped a portion of their total force with anti-elephant devices: chariots fitted with long spikes meant to wound the elephants' vulnerable legs, pots filled with flammable materials meant to frighten the elephants into retreat, flares and support troops who were trained to hurl pila. Pyrrhus's army consisted of Epirote infantry and cavalry, Macedonian infantry and cavalry, Greek mercenary infantry, allied Italian Greeks (including Tarentine hoplites and cavalry), twenty war elephants, and Samnite, Etruscan, Lucanian, and Umbrian mercenaries. The Greek army had notable advantages in both cavalry numbers and in the unique presence of its elephants. However, in order to counter the flexibility of the legions, Pyrrhus mixed some light Italic troops with his phalanx. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Battle of Asculum (279 BC)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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