Was Pyrrhus a Good General

In his Life of Pyrrhus, Plutarch records that Hannibal ranked him as the greatest commander the world had ever seen, though in the Life of Titus Quinctius Flamininus, Plutarch writes that Hannibal placed him second after Alexander the Great.

Who is Pyrrhus and why is he important?

Pyrrhus, (born 319 bce—died 272, Argos, Argolis), king of Hellenistic Epirus whose costly military successes against Macedonia and Rome gave rise to the phrase “Pyrrhic victory.” His Memoirs and books on the art of war were quoted and praised by many ancient authors, including Cicero.

What did Pyrrhus think of Rome?

Pyrrhus taught Rome that they could survive a war of attrition if that was the only means of victory, and that was the lesson which gave them victory in the Second Punic War. Pyrrhus also taught them that elephants were not invincible, indeed, that elephants could be as much a liability as a strength to an enemy.