Pyrrhus 3: Battle for Greece

<p>Antigonus was famously once asked, “who is the greatest General of our day?” to which he replied, “Pyrrhus, if he lives to be old.”</p><p><br></p><p>This is the third and final installment of The Life of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.  </p><p><br></p><p>[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.</p><p><br></p><p>See Ilias' work on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/%CE%97%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%9C%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%8E%CE%BD%CE%B7%CF%82Ilias-Markantonis-115590542295282/?ref=pages_you_manage">Facebook</a>, or Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ilias_markantonis/">@ilias_markantonis</a>)]</p><p><br></p><p>Pyrrhus takes opportunity after opportunity, always imagining this will further his cause.  It begins with a Sicilian expedition. After this, Pyrrhus returns to Italy to fight the Battle of Beneventum.   Then he goes to Macedonia to try and claw back an opportunity he didn’t pursue earlier. </p><p><br></p><p>It’s a predictable pattern, according to Plutarch:</p><p><br></p><p>“Pyrrhus was always entertaining one hope after another, and since he made one success but the starting point for a new one, while he was determined to make good each disaster by a fresh undertaking, he allowed neither defeat nor victory to put a limit to his causing trouble for himself and for others.”</p><p><br></p><p>Pyrrhus made his mark by cultivating an almost maniacal focus on winning in battle - he had a lust for combat. In doing so he won for himself long lasting glory. But we should perhaps ask, together with Plutarch - what was the cost? And was it worth it?  </p><p><br></p><p>On today’s podcast:</p><ul> <li>Pyrrhus’ whirlwind Sicilian expedition</li> <li>Fabricius’ revenge</li> <li>Pyrrhus vs Antigonus</li> <li>The Siege of Sparta </li> <li>The Battle for Argos</li> </ul><p><br></p><p>Links:</p><ul><li><a href="https://ancientlifecoach.com/">https://ancientlifecoach.com/</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Some Places Mentioned</p><p>Akragas (Agrigent