What is it, Pyrrhic victory?

Any person strives to fill his speech with colorful epithets, metaphors, unofficial comparisons and turns that serve not only to give the words brightness, but also testify to the level of erudition and erudition of one's carrier.

Unfortunately, many "juicy" turns, despite its popularity,
Are used in a meaning often contrary to their true meaning. Such use can play a cruel joke with someone who likes to flash a bright word. Any phrase requires a deep understanding and knowledge of what or to whom it owes its appearance, and in what situation its application will be appropriate.

One such expression is "Pyrrhic victory". Who or what was this Pyrrhus? Why does the history preserve the memory of this victory?

A bit of prehistory

King Pyrrhus (in some sources Pyrrhus I) is the king of Epirus (one of the territories of Greece), who lived in the period 319 (320) - 270 (272) years. Before R.X. (Before the birth of Christ).

In view of the fact that there are quite a lot of sources containing references to this ruler and commander, we can assume that he was a figure if not popular, then quite noticeable.

According to historical records, in 313 BC his father Eakid was deposed from the throne, and the young heir was secretly taken from the borders of Epirus to Illyria, where he was transferred under the patronage of the ruler of this territory, the king Glavkia. Despite the numerous proposals of the enemies about the ransom of the young prince, Glavky refused to extradite his pupil. Moreover, in the year when Pyrrhus was 12 years old, the ruler of Illyria gave him the Epirus throne.

During his reign, Pyrrhus waged internecine wars, customary for those times. His troops repeatedly invaded the territory of Thessaly and Macedonia. He managed to visit as a hostage in Egypt, but from there he returned as a spouse of the adopted daughter of the Egyptian king. For some time, Pyrrhus was even the king of Macedonia, but was soon forced to abandon this throne.

Soon to his help in defending against the attacks of the Romans, the Greek metropolis of Tarentas called. Not without the help of the Egyptian and Macedonian rulers, Pyrrhus assembled a rather impressive army and arrived in Tarentum. At his disposal were more than 50 battle elephants, 25,000 soldiers (infantrymen and riders). Moreover, Egypt financed the transportation and subsistence of the army.

The first battle with the army of the Romans occurred in 280 BC, and the first Pyrrhic victory was won in it. Quite well-deserved, despite the fact that the ruler lost some of the most experienced and valuable warriors. The second battle occurred near the town of Auskulum (in some sources - Auskul) in 279 BC. The epic king came out victorious, however, as eyewitnesses say in his notes, the losses in the two-day battle were such that the military leader remarked that another such victory would leave him without an army (in some translations: "If we win again at such a price, we will perish "). It was this outcome of the military confrontation that got the name "Pyrrhic victory", which eventually became a stable phrase.

Nowadays one can often hear the phrase "Pyrrhic victory". The meaning of these words has not changed. As before, they talk about winning with losses of such magnitude that it would be more profitable to lose. In other words, it is a victory equal to defeat.