Battle of Asculum 279 BC: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Asculum 279 BC - The armies

Battle of Asculum 279 BC - The armies

This battle was the second encounter between an Alexandrian, phalanx-based army and the Roman legion. The two armies were equally numbered.

The Romans had more infantry (four legions, 20,000 Romans, plus Dauni allies) and 300 anti-elephant devices. After the battle of Heraclea, in which the Epiriotic war elephants had a heavy impact on the Romans, the legions were provided with flammable weapons and anti-elephant devices: these were ox-led chariots, equipped with long spikes to wound the elephants, pots of fire to scare them, and screening troops who would hurl javelins at the elephants to drive them back.

Pyrrhus deployed Macedonian infantry and horses, his own troops, Greek mercenary infantry, allied Italian Greeks, including a Tarantine militia, 20 elephants, and Samnite infantry and horse. The Epiriotic army had an advantage in horses and the 20 elephants. In order to counter the more flexible Roman legion, Pyrrhus had mixed some light Italic troops to his phalanx.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The armies", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki